Andorran Firefighters Rule Out Avalanche After False Alarm from Exposed Skis
Firefighters in Pas de la Casa searched Pic Blanc for avalanche victims after a hiker spotted abandoned skis uncovered by a controlled snow release,.
Key Points
- Hiker spotted one ski at 12:50pm, prompting helicopter deployment and search.
- Second ski found; no missing persons reported, but teams searched for an hour.
- Skis from earlier incident, exposed by controlled avalanche for snow management.
- Operation ended 3:45pm as false alarm, no injuries.
Andorran firefighters ruled out an avalanche at Pic Blanc in Pas de la Casa after discovering two abandoned skis that had been uncovered by a controlled snow release.
The alert began around 12:50pm when a hiker spotted one ski in the area and contacted emergency services. Firefighters deployed a helicopter and reached the site, where they found the second ski. With no missing persons reported, teams from the emergency corps and police—who joined at 14:10pm—searched the zone for about an hour, fearing possible victims buried under snow.
The skis belonged to an incident days earlier and had been left behind. A controlled avalanche, part of routine snow management to secure roads and ski slopes, had recently disturbed the deposit and exposed them, prompting the confusion. Between roughly 2pm and 3:45pm, helicopter flights intensified amid concerns following a recent incident.
The operation ended as a false alarm, with no injuries or victims found. Emergency services mobilized extensively but stood down once the explanation emerged.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: