2 skiers killed in avalanche on popular Mont Blanc skiing route near French-Swiss border
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Two skiers died and another was injured in an avalanche on Sunday along the Couloir Vesses, a popular off-piste route on the Italian side of Mont Blanc near the French-Swiss border. The avalanche swept up three skiers, prompting a search and rescue operation involving 15 rescuers, canine units, and helicopters. The incident occurred amid a particularly dangerous period in the Italian Alps, with 13 backcountry skiers, climbers, and hikers dying in the week ending February 8, ten of those deaths caused by avalanches. Authorities attribute the increased avalanche risk to recent storms that deposited fresh snow onto unstable underlying layers, combined with strong winds creating hazardous drifts. The incidents occurred as the Winter Olympics were kicking off in the region.
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Key Claims (5)
AI-Extracted13 backcountry skiers, climbers and hikers died in the Italian mountains in the week ending Feb. 8.
Two skiers were killed and another injured in an avalanche on the Italian side of Mont Blanc.
There is no danger for people skiing within managed ski resorts, and, in particular, no risks to the Olympic sites.
Recent storms have dumped fresh snow onto fragile underlying layers, creating unstable drifts.
The number of accidents, and therefore fatalities, has increased proportionally.
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