British skier missing in the Alps found dead: Man disappeared after taking 'one last run' at the end of day on slopes
By
Alexandra Williams
Last updated at 9:03 AM on 28th December 2009
A British skier who went missing in the French Alps on Christmas Day died after being caught in an avalanche, reports said today.
A body believed to be that of Nigel Jackson, 43, who was staying in the resort of Chamonix, was found on Boxing Day.
Police believe he was skiing between two marked pistes when he was caught in a small avalanche.
A police spokesman said: 'We found the body of a British man at 3pm on Saturday at Le Tour. We think he had been skiing between two pistes and was caught in an avalanche. The weather was very bad on Christmas Day.
Nigel Jackson, 43, took one last run at Le Tour, Chamonix, but became seperated from his friends. His body was found on Boxing Day
Tragic last run: Le Tour is near the ski-town of Chamonix, in the French Alps
'A ski patrol searched for him and then we searched with a helicopter but we couldn't see anything. He was not wearing an avalanche transceiver.'
Mr Jackson, who was originally from Liverpool but had moved to London, is said to have gone skiing on Christmas Day with his girlfriend and two friends despite bad weather.
The party, which was staying at Les Aiglons hotel, decided to ski one last run.
Mr Jackson, a keen skier, separated from his friends and agreed to meet at the bottom at 4pm. When Mr Jackson failed to arrive his worried friends contacted the mountain police.
A search involving a helicopter was launched but rescuers failed to find Mr Jackson.
The search was resumed on Boxing Day and his body was discovered at 3pm, buried under snow.
A distraught friend said: 'We are in shock. It was a freak accident. The avalanche was not even big.'
Mr Jackson’s parents flew to France to meet with police and organise for his body to be returned to the UK.
The avalanche risk in Chamonixhas been classed 'considerable' over the Christmas period. There was heavy snow followed by warm Foehn winds gusting at up to 80mph.
Mr Jackson’s is the second death in a week in the area.
A French skier from Limoges was caught in an avalanche with two other people who managed to remain on the surface of the slide. The skier who was killed was not equipped with an avalanche transceiver and was buried.
Meanwhile, six people have been killed by an avalanche in northern Italy.
The victims were two tourists who had gone missing in the Italian Alps and four rescuers who had been looking for them, according to the ANSA news agency.
The avalanche danger at the moment is extremely high. An avalanche was set off this weekend by some off-piste skiers and two people on the marked piste were lucky to get away with slight injuries.
It is not only those who ski off piste who can kill themelves but they set off avalanches which kill those who stick to the marked piste. Everything is well-signposted and there is no excuse for ignorance..
- diana, Geneva, 28/12/2009 08:33
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