A 49-year old freerider from the Swiss kanton Wallis was reported missing in Ovronnaz by midnight last Sunday. His car was found on the parking lot and mountain rescue started an extensive search. They search on Monday was without results, but on Tuesday they were able to locate his cell phone with the help of a helicopter.
150 cm of snow
Because of the weather they had to cancel the search on Tuesday evening. Two mountain guides were able to locate and dig out his body on Wednesday afternoon. He was buried under 150 cm of snow. His line and the avalanche debris were coming out of a steep couloir. Our thought are with family and friends.
It’s not clear whether the skier was out there alone or if he had safety gear with him. It’s the second fatality this week, after the deadly avalanche in Serfaus yesterday.