Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
12 December 2013 09:09
The skier was swept around 100ft down the gully before being buried in snow
A woman who swept down a steep ravine after being caught in an avalanche while skiing in the US was saved by a man who'd filmed the drama on his mobile phone.
Witnesses said the woman was left buried in snow and only survived because other skiers dug her out quickly after she deployed a special airbag.
Joe Campanelli's mobile phone video footage shows the woman skiing into a gully filled with loose snow near the Alta ski area in Utah.
He can be heard to say: "That is not a good slope to ski," before adding "you're in a slide, bud", when the snow started breaking up and turning into an avalanche.
The skier pulled a ripcord on her European-style airbag-equipped backpack and was swept around 100ft down the gully.
Mr Campanelli stopped filming and he and friend, Aaron Rice, went to help the stricken skier.
Mr Rice said he'd used an avalanche beacon and probe to pinpoint the woman's location under the snow before he and a group of other skiers dug her out from beneath several feet of snow.
He said: "She was breathing, talking. She said, 'Thank you. I can't believe you got here so quickly'. She was completely shaken up."
Officials said although the woman's air bag had little time to work as her descent into the ravine was so steep, it may have prevented her from getting buried under even deeper snow.
The incident highlights the importance of skiers having a good sports travel insurance policy to ensure they're covered in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
Bruce Tremper, director of the Utah Avalanche Centre, said the woman was lucky to be alive and to have come through her ordeal uninjured.
He said the state had an average of four fatalities caused by avalanches each year, adding: "It's a game of Russian roulette. People may perceive a slope to be safe, but there are booby traps all around."
16 August 2018
Holidaymakers in the UK will be hit by more train price hikes from next year, after the Government announced ticket prices will increase by 3.2% in January.
[more...]
15 August 2018
A simple blood test could help GPs detect a rare form of bone marrow cancer much earlier, a new study suggests.
14 August 2018
Passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport last month faced queues of over two and a half hours at passport control, new figures have revealed.
11 August 2018
Hundreds of Ryanair flights will not take off as planned on Friday due to pilot strikes in five countries.
10 August 2018
Fad diets that cut out carbs while increasing fat consumption could lead to an increased risk of diabetes, according to new research.
09 August 2018
HIV testing has become even more accessible after a self-testing kit was made available from a High Street retailer.
08 August 2018
Women patients are more likely to survive a heart attack if they are treated by a female doctor, a new US study has revealed.
07 August 2018
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
04 August 2018
Simple factors such as gender and body mass can help doctors to personalise care for patients with type 2 diabetes and avoid harmful side effects, according to a study.
03 August 2018
Gatwick Express must no longer claim it runs "non-stop to Victoria station in half an hour" and "in just 30 minutes" unless it can achieve the time in most cases, a watchdog has ruled.
02 August 2018
A charity is calling for greater access to respite support after it emerged that 72% of Britain's 700,000 young carers feel lonely and isolated during the summer holidays.
01 August 2018
A plan to build new rail links with Heathrow Airport and connect Windsor's two train stations have been submitted to the Government.