British mother, son killed by avalanche while skiing on Mont Blanc in French Alps

Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A British mother and son died in an avalanche while skiing on Mont Blanc in the French Alps.

The 54-year-old woman and her 22-year-old son were skiing off-piste, or away from ski runs, at the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski resort at an altitude of 7,545 feet near the Mont Joly lift, along with a ski instructor and three other family members when the avalanche occurred, according to the Bonneville public prosecutor's office.

The prosecutor's office added that "only the ski instructor was equipped with an avalanche victim detection device" that allowed him to be rescued along with four others.

The British skiers bodies were found after a five-hour search and rescue effort that included dog teams.

The victim's names haven't been publicly released.

Jean-Luc Boch, the president of the Association of Mountain Station Mayors, said skiing away from designated ski runs is dangerous, even with an instructor.

"Zero risk doesn't exist off-piste," he told FrenchInfo. "There is a risk and that risk exists even if you are accompanied by professionals, by guides, by ski instructors ... there is always a risk weighing over you.

Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex said the accident was terrible and the city is very sad about it.