£57,000 a year Swiss school says ‘deeply saddened’ after UK student killed in avalanche

Teachers at £57,000-a-year Swiss boarding school say they are ‘deeply saddened’ after British student, 18, was killed in avalanche on ski trip – as search for American student buried alive continues

  • Seven students from the Swiss Ecole d’Humanité were on a ski tour when an avalanche broke
  • Two students equipped with avalanche safety equipment were buried underneath
  • An 18-year-old man from England, who lived in Bern and attended an international school, has died

Staff at a £57,000-a-year boarding school in Switzerland said they were ‘deeply saddened’ after a British student, 18, was killed in an avalanche during a school skiing trip, which also buried a female student from the US who is still missing .

Seven students from the prestigious Swiss boarding school Ecole d’Humanité were on a ski tour when an avalanche crashed at Gstelliwang near Meiringen at 4:25 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21.

The school says in a statement that the “very experienced group” has taken the necessary precautions for a ski tour, such as taking into account the avalanche forecast and equipping the students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels.

Despite these measures, an avalanche broke out and buried two students. Although search and rescue efforts began immediately, for an 18-year-old British student, “any help came too late,” the school said.

The school statement on the tragedy read: ‘We regret this terrible accident and are deeply saddened.

Seven students of the prestigious Swiss boarding school Ecole d'Humanité were on a ski tour when an avalanche crashed at Gstelliwang near Meiringen on Tuesday, March 21 at 4:25 p.m. (photo: the search for the buried American student)

Seven students of the prestigious Swiss boarding school Ecole d’Humanité were on a ski tour when an avalanche crashed at Gstelliwang near Meiringen on Tuesday, March 21 at 4:25 p.m. (photo: the search for the buried American student)

The school said in a statement that the

The school said in a statement that the “highly experienced group” had taken the necessary precautions for a ski trip, such as taking the avalanche forecast into account and equipping students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels.

“We extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to all students, their families and relatives.”

The search for the second buried student, who Ecole d’Humanité says is a girl from the US, is still ongoing after it was interrupted around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and did not continue until daylight the next day.

The 18-year-old man who died in the avalanche was originally from England but lived in Bern, where he attended the £57,000-a-year international school.

The school in the town of Hasliberg is a short distance from the Gstelliwang ski slope on the Wellhorn mountain in the area of ​​Meiringen, the next town.

The deadly avalanche hit around 4:25 p.m. Mountain rescue teams and a helicopter were deployed to assist survivors.

The two students, who were on a ski tour with a mountain guide, a youth and sports leader and three other outside persons, were riding down the Gstelliwang when an avalanche broke off and buried them both, the cantonal police in Bern said.

Swiss Alpine Rescue Rega crews, Swiss Alpine Rescue, several Rega, Air-Glaciers and Swiss Helicopter helicopters, mountain specialists and other employees of the Canton of Bern Police and Canton of Bern Care Team are currently looking for the second person.

The school has announced that a care team has been available for those who need it since Tuesday evening.

It added: ‘People are also on hand for psychological care, including individual bereavement counselling. This integral guidance continues until the students leave.’