British snowboarder found dead in French Alps after cliff fall
43-year old man fell 100 metres while snowboarding off-piste
The skier’s body was not discovered until the following day. Archive photo showsLa Plagne, Savoie, near where the incident took place
Gail Johnson/Shutterstock
A 43-year old British man has died in Savoie in a snowboarding accident, local authorities have confirmed.
The man was snowboarding off-piste at La Plagne on Saturday (March 28) when the accident took place.
“The victim, who was snowboarding alone… fell approximately 100 metres from a cliff,” said the Modane CRS (mountain rescue) to AFP.
He was not found until Sunday (March 29), when a skier saw his body and contacted emergency services. The body was airlifted off the mountain.
It is the latest in a string of Alpine deaths this year, including several Britons. More than 30 people have died across the French Alps.
Many of these accidents have happened off-piste, as with the British snowboarder, or due to avalanches.
While off-piste activities are not banned at French resorts, authorities warn that only experienced adventurists should engage in them, and should not do so alone.
However, deaths have been recorded this season even when guides have been present.
Visitors are always advised to heed warnings, such as avalanche alerts, before heading off-piste.
