"While most skiiers stick to the coloured runs, which range from green (easy) to black (expert level), other thrill-seekers venture off-piste - where running into trouble can prove deadly. Since the start of the year, dozens of skiiers have been killed during avalanches at popular resorts in France, Austria, and Russia, sparking 'extreme risk' warnings. During these life-or-death situations, the mountain rescue crew springs into action."
"While most don't experience issues, Gilles Roux-Mollard, Slope Manager at Les Menuires, estimates that the on-slope rescue rate is around one rescue for every 10,000 lift passes. 'This amounts to a total of approximately 1,400 rescues per season, with fewer than 10% involving collisions,' he explained. 'It should also be noted that not all injured skiers call upon the ski patrol services. Some make their own way to the medical centre.'"
Les Menuires fields 53 ski patrollers and first responders who treat injuries, respond to falls, and manage accidents on and off piste. The resort, located in Les Trois Vallées, attracts thousands of visitors annually. The on-slope rescue rate is about one rescue per 10,000 lift passes, equating to roughly 1,400 rescues per season, with fewer than 10% involving collisions. Most skiers stay on marked coloured runs, while off-piste terrain poses heightened avalanche risk and has caused dozens of fatalities at resorts across Europe. Rescue operations deploy specially trained avalanche dogs and thermal-imaging drones to locate and save buried victims.
Read at Mail Online
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