Officials reported that two skiers lost their lives and another was injured on Sunday when an off-trail avalanche ripped through a popular freeride route on the massif near the French-Swiss border.
The Associated Press stated that, per Italy’s Alpine Rescue, three skiers were caught in the Sunday morning slide along Couloir Vesses—a well-known off-piste route in Courmayeur’s upper Val Veny area.
Fifteen rescuers, three canine units, and two helicopters took part in search and rescue operations. The agency noted that one victim was transported to a hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to their injuries.
Authorities said another individual was partially buried in Trentino and was pulled to safety by their companions.
This fatal avalanche occurs amid a particularly dangerous stretch in the Italian Alps. Italy’s Alpine Rescue announced last week that 13 backcountry skiers, climbers, and hikers died in the Italian mountains during the week ending Feb. 8—a record toll—with 10 of these deaths linked to an unusually unstable snowpack.
Officials explained that recent storms have dumped fresh snow onto fragile underlying layers, while strong winds have created unstable drifts, leading to hazardous conditions across the Alpine arc bordering France, Switzerland, and Austria.
The National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps noted the main issue stems from “persistent weak layers in the snowpack, often covered by fresh snow or wind-blown drifts—conditions that make avalanche detachments unpredictable and easily triggered even by a single skier or alpinist.” They added: “Dangerous spots are numerous and hard to identify, even for experts.”
The Associated Press reported that Federico Catania, a spokesperson for Italy’s Alpine Rescue Corps, said recent snowstorms have drawn visitors eager to ski fresh slopes: “As a result, the number of accidents—and therefore fatalities—has increased proportionally.”
Courmayeur, a town of roughly 2,900 residents, sits about 200 kilometers (124 miles) northwest of Milan, a host city for the Winter Olympics.
The incidents occurred as the Winter Olympics kicked off in the region on Feb. 6.
Authorities emphasized that competition sites—located in Lombardy near the Swiss border, Cortina d’Ampezzo in Veneto, and Val di Fiemme in Trentino—remain safe, well-maintained, and closely monitored.
Catania previously stated: “There is no danger for those skiing within managed resorts, and no specific risks to Olympic sites. All these areas are constantly monitored and generally safe regardless of Olympic events.”
Prior to the Winter Olympics’ start, Vigili del Fuoco announced crews would maintain safety measures for all visitors to the sites.
Digital’s Bonny Chu and