Two British Skiers Die in French Alps Avalanche

- A third skier, a French national who was skiing alone higher up the mountain, was also killed in the same avalanche. - The day before the incident, France's national weather service, Météo-France, had issued a red alert for avalanche risk in the Savoie region, a warning that has only been used three times in the last 25 years. - On the day of the avalanche, the risk level in Val d'Isère was rated as 4 out of 5, meaning "High". This followed a day with a rare 5 out of 5, or "Very High," risk level. - The Albertville prosecutor's office has opened a manslaughter investigation into the incident. The group's instructor was uninjured and tested negative for drugs. - The avalanche was substantial, stretching 400 meters down the mountainside and ending in a stream. All members of the guided group were equipped with avalanche transceivers, which allowed rescuers to locate the two British victims quickly. - The region had been hit by Storm Nils, which brought significant snowfall of 60cm to 100cm, creating what Météo-France described as a "very unstable snow cover." - This winter season has been particularly deadly in the French Alps, with at least 25 avalanche-related fatalities reported since the start of the season. Another British skier was killed in an avalanche at the nearby La Plagne resort in January.