French Alps: British woman skier dies after colliding with snowboarder at Flaine resort

A British skier has become the latest fatality in the French Alps after reportedly colliding with a snowboarder in the popular resort of Flaine. The 53-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, died on Wednesday (20 April) while skiing on a blue slope, suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers.

Paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after the crash at about 1pm but were unable to revive the woman. The snowboarder – whose name, age and nationality have not been released – escaped with just a wrist injury, French local newspaper Le Dauphine reported.

An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is being carried out by specialist mountain police. It comes just days after another skier, a 42-year-old man from Switzerland, died at the same resort after reportedly suffering a heart attack when he also collided with a snowboarder.

Flaines was also where seven-year-old Carwyn Scott-Howell died on the final day of his skiing holiday this time last year. The British boy fell 50m (164ft) from a cliff after he strayed off-piste.

Deadly ski season

This winter season has seen several fatalities on the Alps' slopes, including British nationals. Last month, a 48-year-old British man died after plunging almost 150m when he went off-piste at La Plagne resort in Savoie.

British woman Anne Clayton, 54, from Stockport, also died at La Plagne in February after losing control on a blue run, crashing head-on into a tree. She was on holiday with her two sons at the time.

Heavy snowfall has also seen avalanches claim several lives. This includes two French school pupils who were killed in January when an avalanche hit a class of children skiing in Les Deux Alpes.

Just days later, five French soldiers were killed in an avalanche in the Savoie region, while the bodies of two skiers were found under 1.5m of snow when they were swept away in separate avalanches at the resort of Val d'Isere on 5 January.

French mountain rescue officials have urged tourists to check avalanche warnings and to take care on the slopes.