The tragic accident that took place on Thursday in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France, has claimed the lives of a British mother and son. The two victims have been identified as Kate Vokes, age 54, and her 22-year-old son, Archie Vokes. They were skiing in a remote off-piste area with a guide they knew for years, as part of a group of five people from the same family, when a massive avalanche swept through the area.
Despite attempts to resuscitate them, both mother and son were pronounced dead at the scene. The rest of the family members managed to escape and avoid getting trapped by the avalanche. The family of the two victims released a statement saying that they are “beyond heartbroken” and that the loss has left them in “unimaginable pain”.
The tragic incident occurred near the Swiss border of the resort, at around 15:30 local time. Officials have reported that the avalanche had started at around 2,300 metres (7,546 feet) altitude and had travelled around 400 metres. They also stated that it may have been triggered by another party of skiers skiing at a higher altitude.
Archie Vokes was a personal trainer from Manchester, who had recently received his level 1 ski instructor certification in Canada. His mother was a keen skier as well. The tragedy has come as a shock to both the skiing community and the family and friends of the two deceased. The French authorities have issued multiple warnings in the past few weeks about the dangers of off-piste skiing due to the high risk of avalanches during the winter season
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