An American teenager is feared dead after being buried by a “massive” 50ft avalanche while skiing on a school trip in the Bernese Alps.
Colorado-born Emily Franciose, a senior at the Ecole d’Humanité boarding school, has still not been found after she was trapped under the 2,000-foot-wide avalanche on the Gstelliwang slope in Bern, Switzerland.
Franciose was skiing with her classmates when the tragedy struck at 4.25pm on Tuesday 21 March. The school confirmed yesterday that another student, an 18-year-old British boy who was with Emily at the time, died on the mountain.
According to posts on social media, Swiss rescue teams found Emily’s backpack in the snow mountains – but did not uncover her body.
Officials and Emily’s loved ones are said to have stated that there was “no chance of survival” and that her body may not be recovered until spring.
Emily Franciose (pictured), a senior at the Ecole d’Humanité boarding school, has still not been found after she was trapped under the 2,000ft wide avalanche on the Gstelliwang slope in Bern, Switzerland
Tommy Johnson posted a note on Instagram suggesting that Franciose has still not been found and that her parents, Reg and Sue, have been told there is “no chance of survival” and they have been killed for good
Franciose’s mother, Sue, last August shared a Facebook photo of her daughter celebrating the start of her senior year at the prestigious Swiss boarding school, Ecole d’Humanité.
She wrote, “The senior year of high school has begun…. The setting is a bit different though.”
Franciose took photos on the slopes until March 14 and posted about the ski trip on social media.
Devastated teachers at the $70,000 school revealed they were “deeply saddened” after it was announced the 18-year-old British student had died.
They have not made a public statement about Emily as rescue teams will continue to search for her this weekend.
Seven students were on a ski tour when an avalanche hit the Gstelliwang ski slope near Meiringen on March 21.
The male British student’s body was found while searching for Franciose, who is also believed to be buried under snow. Neither were named by Swiss officials.
The school said in a statement that the “very experienced group” made arrangements for a ski tour and equipped students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels.
Search and rescue efforts began immediately, but “any help came too late” for the 18-year-old Brit, the school said in a note to parents.
Franciose had photographed the ski trip. Devastated teachers at the $70,000 school revealed they were “deeply saddened” after it was announced the 18-year-old British student had died. They have not made a public statement about Emily as rescue teams will continue to search for her this weekend
Franciose’s last Instagram post was published on February 19
Seven students from the renowned Swiss boarding school Ecole d’Humanité were on a ski tour when an avalanche struck Gstelliwang near Meiringen on Tuesday, March 21 at 4:25 p.m. (pictured: search for the buried American student).
The school said in a statement that the “very experienced group” made arrangements for a ski tour and equipped students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels. Search and rescue efforts began immediately, but “any help came too late” for the 18-year-old Brit, the school (pictured) said in a message to parents
The school’s statement of the tragedy read: “We regret this terrible accident and are deeply saddened. We extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to all students, their families and loved ones.’
The search for the second buried student is still ongoing, having been suspended around 7.30pm on Tuesday and not resumed until daylight the next day, although it appears to have since been called off.
The 18-year-old Briton who died in the avalanche was originally from England but lived in Bern, where he attended the renowned international school.
The school in the municipality of Hasliberg is in the immediate vicinity of the Gstelliwang ski slope on the Wellhorn in the district of Meiringen, the next municipality.
The deadly avalanche struck around 4:25 p.m. Mountain rescue teams and a helicopter were deployed to help the survivors.
The two students, who were on the ski tour with a mountain guide, a youth and sports leader and three other external people, fell down the Gstelliwanghang in an avalanche and buried them both under it, according to the canton police in Zurich Bern.
Task forces from the Swiss Alpine Rescue, Rega, Swiss Alpine Rescue, several Rega, Air-Glacier and Swiss Helicopter helicopters, mountain specialists and other employees from the Bern Canton Police and the Care Team of the Canton of Bern are currently looking for the second person.
The school said a care team has been available since Tuesday night for those who need it.
It added: “People are also present for psychological support, including individual bereavement counselling. This comprehensive care will continue until the students leave.’
The Gstelliwang slope, where the avalanche struck, is at the foot of the north-west face of the Wellhorn.
According to a Swiss topography map, it is assigned a height of almost 2118 meters.
In both summer and winter, however, you can climb another 400 meters in altitude to the foot of the north-west face of the Wellhorn.
The school said in a statement that the “very experienced group” made the necessary arrangements for a ski tour, taking into account the avalanche bulletin, and equipped the students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels