Overwhelmed by an avalanche during an off-piste descent in Valle d'Aosta, a 25-year-old skier died and a girl of the same age is missing.
It happened around 1 pm in Val Veny, above Courmayeur.
They were part of a group of four freeriders, coming from Sweden, engaged in the Canale degli Spagnoli, at the bottom of the valley: it is a couloir of about 1,000 metres, very steep at times, considered a sort of 'paradise' for lovers of extreme skiing and fresh snow.
The two, both 25 years old, were hit in full by the mass of snow plummeted downstream: one was found immediately, friends tried to revive her but every attempt was in vain and she died probably due to multiple trauma.
The other one was dragged downstream for at least 400 meters,
she was buried by snow and the body has not yet been recovered.
The search will resume on Monday morning.
Avalanche above Courmayeur, the images from the helicopter
The alarm was triggered as soon as the avalanche descended to the valley: it was given by friends who contacted the central unit.
The Valle d'Aosta Alpine Rescue has organized two teams on foot - made up of technicians, finance police personnel and a 118 resuscitator - given that the weather conditions (absence of visibility due to the presence of low clouds) prevented the helicopter from reaching the area.
The first team left from the Arp and reached the canal, a sort of frozen and almost vertical funnel, starting to go downhill until it reached the two surviving boys, both of whom were unharmed.
The second instead went up the Veny valley with seal skins.
To slow down the operations there was also the danger that other avalanches would break off.
The first information, provided during those excited moments, turned out to be inaccurate, leading the rescuers to the nearby Vesses channel.
Finally, around 16.30, the detachment area was reached.
The technicians of the Valle d'Aosta Alpine Rescue then began to probe the avalanche in search of the missing person, sieving the snow flow for a long time.
A helicopter flyover was also attempted to closely observe the central area of the canal, the most dangerous one.
All in vain.
The victim's body was taken downstream and the body was placed in the morgue of the Courmayeur cemetery.
The avalanche danger on Sunday in Val Veny was 'considerable', index 3 on a 5-point scale.
According to the bulletin issued by the Valle d'Aosta Region, "especially on very steep slopes facing north, north-east and east, avalanches can involve weak old snow and reach medium dimensions: excursions and off-piste descents require experience in evaluating the danger".
Gianluca Marra, head of the Courmayeur station of the Valle d'Aosta Alpine Rescue, has no doubts: "The rain was a decisive factor in causing that avalanche to be triggered. Even the sudden changes in temperature in the last few hours played a role in the accident".
"The Spanish channel is not forbidden - he added - but it is not recommended. It is descended a few times,
