La Plagne
Avalanche victim found with a RECCO detector and rescued alive
La Plagne, Tuesday January 8, 2008
Three skiers were riding in the Bellec™te area when, at 12h50 (1.50 p.m.), an avalanche occurred. Two of the skiers were buried, one partially and one completely, while the third skier escaped unharmed. A ski lift employee saw the avalanche from a distance and called the ski patrol which immediately responded. The avalanche victim was located with the RECCO detector (responding signal from 9-10 m distance) and dug out from under 1.5 m of snow. He was still conscious, though in urgent need of oxygen, and was brought by helicopter to the hospital. The avalanche victim survived.
Total burial time: 22 minutes.
Size of the avalanche 40 m wide at the fracture, 50 m long