An off-trail avalanche in the Couloir Vesses killed two skiers and injured another on Sunday near Courmayeur in northern Italy. The incident occurred on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif, close to the border with France and Switzerland, according to Italy's Alpine Rescue.

Fifteen rescuers, three canine units, and two helicopters responded to the emergency in the well-known freeride route. One victim was hospitalized in serious condition but later died. The resort town of Courmayeur, with about 2,900 inhabitants, lies approximately 200 kilometers northwest of Milan, one of the venues for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

The avalanche follows a deadly week in the Italian mountains, where a record 13 backcountry skiers, climbers, and hikers died over seven days ending February 8. Alpine Rescue attributed the fatalities to an exceptionally unstable snowpack, with fresh snowfall and wind-swept snowcaps creating hazardous conditions across the Alpine crescent bordering France, Switzerland, and Austria.