Republished January 29, 2019 - 10:04 AM
Original Publication Date January 29, 2019 - 5:46 AM
PARIS - An avalanche in the French Alps killed two people Tuesday near the Deux-Alpes ski resort, French officials said.
The avalanche struck late in the morning on an off-piste sector near the small town of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans, authorities said. The area was under a moderate avalanche risk Tuesday.
The rescue operation involved 30 people, 2 helicopters and canine search units. One skier was found dead, and the other died after being transported by helicopter to the hospital, the police said.
Details about the victims' identities were not immediately available.
Elsewhere in France, the national weather service placed about half the country on alert for snow, ice and strong winds as a storm descended Tuesday evening. Some highways were closed, notably in the Paris area and the northwestern region of Normandy.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019