British man, 27, dies in avalanche at ski resort in French Alps

A 27-year-old British man has died after being buried in an avalanche at a ski resort in the French Alps, local government officials have said.

The avalanche occurred at Val Thorens ski resort, in the Savoie region of south-west France, shortly after 10am on Thursday, local prosecutor Benoît Bachelet said in a statement.

The man, who had been lying at the side of the road, was buried in the snow and carried about 15 metres by its force, the prosecutor said.

Nearby police officers were alerted to the incident by a witness, and pulled the man, who had entered cardiac arrest, out of the snow and provided first aid.

He was taken to hospital in Grenoble, in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, where he later died that evening, Mr Bachelet said.

An investigation into the incident has been opened by the regional prosecutor’s office.

The victim’s family are being supported by local services, the prosecutor said.

A Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities.”