A BRIT snowboarder has tragically died after plunging over 300 feet off a rocky ledge at a French ski resort.
The 43-year-old, who has not been named, is thought to have been snowboarding alone off-piste on the slopes of La Plagne.
A spokesman for the Modane police mountain rescue unit said: “The victim is thought to have fallen at least one hundred meters (320 feet) on Saturday from a rocky ledge in an off-piste area.
“The emergency services were alerted to the disappearance at around 2.15pm and patrols were sent out.
“Rescuers soon determined that the missing British man had last been seen using the ski lifts in the Bécoin area of La Plagne.”
Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the Brit was declared dead at the scene and his body was airlifted away by helicopter.
A probe has been launched by a local prosecutor to explain the tragedy.
La Plagne, which Brit holidaymakers flock to in their droves every winter, is one of the most popular ski resorts in the world and attracts more than 2.5million visitors a season.
Excluding avalanches, 31 people have died in the French ski resorts this year, with 18 coming from the collisions, according to France‘s National Mountain Safety organisation.
Since the start of the season, more than 30 people have been killed by avalanches in France, including six on the weekend of January 10 to 11.
Huge avalanches have swept Europe this winter leaving record fatalities in their wake.
The death toll across France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria has already climbed above 60 this season alone.
The disasters are caused by an “unusually weak” snowpack, the total snow from the ground to the snow surface, according to experts.
Fresh snow builds above this “weak base”, making all additional layers “very unstable”.
Avalanche expert Alain Duclos told The Sun that Europe must brace for more avalanches – which will be “wider and more powerful”.
He said: “I’m afraid that more fatalities will happen.”
The Brit snowboarder’s death comes as a 41-year-old tourist was buried by an enormous 820ft-wide avalanche buried him in Austria.
Federico Giubilato was skiing off piste with a friend when tragedy struck.
The extreme sports enthusiast, who would have turned 42 years old on Monday, was crushed by about 5.2ft of ice.
His pal was able to break free from the snow with just a hand injury.
The 36-year-old was then able to call for help.
Mountain rescue services scrambled to the scene in two helicopters, arriving around half an hour later.
Emergency crews desperately tried to save Federico by digging through the ice.
It took 30 minutes to reach his body, by which time the mechanical engineer had tragically died.
The pair, from Bassano del Grappa, in northern Italy, were skiing in Marchkopf, Austria, when the avalanche hit on Saturday afternoon.
