The death toll from an avalanche in the French Alps on Sunday has reportedly risen to six as of Monday morning.
The avalanche struck at the site of the Armancetter glacier near Mont Blanc, France, according to the BBC. Footage of what is believed to be the enormous event was caught on camera by someone at a nearby ski resort, and shows the huge torrent of snow and ice descending down the hillside.
Grosse coulée depuis les Dômes ce matin …
Prudence en hors piste pic.twitter.com/9Hxzj9qvHp— ⛷ Domaine Skiable des Contamines-Montjoie 🏂 SECMH (@domaineskiable) April 9, 2023
Initial reports from the BBC suggested only four people were killed during the event. As search and rescue operations launched, the death toll reportedly rose to six, ABC News noted. ABC cited the prosecutor’s office in Bonneville, in the Haute-Savoie region, who said a sixth person’s body was recovered from the site. At least another individual was said to have been sent to hospital with minor injuries, and eight were discovered unharmed in the area, ABC News continued.
Later updates from the BBC said that the victims included a couple in their 20s, a 39-year-old woman, and a man in his 40s that is assumed to be her partner. Two guides were also allegedly killed. (RELATED: Watch What Happens When A Huge Avalanche Hits Tourists)
“Today, we are mourning, and there is great sadness among all of us mountaineers, friends of Les Contamines, those who died are people we knew, and all our thoughts go out to their families,” an official from the local village, Jean-Luc Mattel, said of the incident.
The avalanche is believed to have been caused by a slab of snow that detached from the highest reaches of the mountain. It’s believed to be the most deadly avalanche of the season.