He spent ten long minutes stuck under the weight of the snow.
A snowboarder was caught in an avalanche and fell 300 m down a steep slope trapped on Wednesday February 28 at the end of the morning, reports La Dépêche du midi.
Originally from Bagnères-de-Bigorre (Hautes-Pyrénées), the snowboarder was with a group of friends in the Pic du Midi de Bigorre area, when an avalanche suddenly triggered and took him away.
After sliding down 300 m, he ended up buried on Lake Oncet.
“Fortunately equipped with a DVA (
Editor's note,
avalanche victim detector), he was located and partially cleared by his companions in 10 minutes,” detail the CRS mountain rescuers of the Pyrenees in a Facebook publication.
An intervention took place yesterday on the Pic du Midi for an avalanche which carried away a snowboarder during the crossing...
Published by Secours en Montagne CRS Pyrénées on Thursday February 29, 2024
Initially helped by his friends, the CRS rescuers and the Samu doctor arrived very quickly on the scene by helicopter and were able to finish the extrication.
Suffering from hypothermia, he received first aid on site before being transported to Tarbes hospital without serious injuries.
“An incredible opportunity”
“He miraculously survived a large-scale avalanche which could have had a dramatic outcome, without first of all incredible luck, but also thanks to his equipment and the responsiveness of his companions who allowed him to breathe very quickly” , specify the rescuers on social networks, who wish to raise awareness among practitioners of the importance of having DVA, shovel, probe equipment and knowing how to use it.
Also read: Avoid steep slopes and sudden turns, cross one by one… the rules to follow to avoid avalanches
If his equipment probably saved him, the emergency services specify that “despite the equipment it is very likely to be injured or killed in an avalanche”.
This is why they remind us that it is essential to “assess the risk carefully, in particular by referring to the avalanche risk estimation bulletin issued by Météo France.
".