2 skiers missing due to an avalanche near Mont Blanc

ROME — On Sunday, rescue teams were looking for two skiers who were caught in an avalanche near Mont Blanc, on Italy’s northern border with France, local authorities said.

Two surviving off-piste skiers raised the alarm shortly after the 1pm avalanche in Val Veny, above Courmayeur, but low clouds prevented helicopters from arriving, Courmayeur mayor Roberto Rota told Sky TG24.

Rescuers arrived on the scene by snowmobile, but Rota said there was little chance of finding the skiers alive given the time that had passed.

Rota suggested that the four skiers were amateurs who did not go up with a guide or proper avalanche safety equipment, although he added that the avalanche airbags would have been useful only if rescuers were nearby and within the first 15 to 20 minutes the I arrived at the scene. .

“Unfortunately, in 99% of cases, those affected do not get there,” he said.

Sunday’s avalanche danger in the region is a level three “significant” danger on the scale of five risk levels used by the European Avalanche Warning Service – low, medium, significant, high and very high, Rota said.