Two ex-policemen from Valais die in avalanche accident in Chamoson

The avalanche broke loose at around 12.15 p.m. on Thursday in the Pointe de Chemo area in Chamoson when a group of four ski tourers were skiing down a slope on the east side at an altitude of around 2,500 meters, according to the Valais cantonal police on Friday. The snow slide took three of them with it.

After being alerted by the fourth tourer, the rescue teams from the Cantonal Valais Rescue Organization (KWRO), assisted by two helicopters from Air-Glaciers and an aircraft from Air Zermatt, were able to locate and rescue two buried people.

Despite the first aid provided, a 42-year-old man died at the scene of the accident. A 41-year-old man was injured and flown by helicopter to the Inselspital in Bern. He succumbed to his injuries there on Friday, as the cantonal police and the public prosecutor's office announced later in the afternoon.

At the request of Keystone-SDA, the Valais cantonal police announced that the two victims were former members of the cantonal police. They confirmed information from the newspaper "Le Nouvelliste" and radio "Rhône FM".

A 53-year-old woman, who was outside the snow mass, was injured and transported by helicopter to the hospital in Sion. The Valais public prosecutor's office opened an investigation.

Call for caution

The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF points out that the avalanche situation in Valais remains critical for this weekend, the cantonal police wrote. In the past week, numerous, often large avalanches have been triggered by ski tourers or freeriders, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Last Sunday, 50-year-old Bernese snowboarder Ueli Kestenholz died in an avalanche accident in the Lötschental in Valais.

According to the SLF, the structure of the snowpack has persistent weak layers that prevent a good connection with the large amounts of fresh snow from last weekend. Since the beginning of the year, the rescue services in Valais have already been called out 20 times in connection with avalanche incidents.