An American teenager is feared dead after being buried by a ‘massive’ 50ft-deep 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 yet to be found after becoming trapped under the 2,000-foot-wide avalanche on the Gstelliwang hillside in Bern, Switzerland.
Franciose was skiing with her classmates when the tragedy occurred at 4:25 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21. 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 social media posts, Swiss rescue teams found Emily’s backpack in the snowdrifts; however, they did not discover her body.
Officials and Emily’s loved ones are said to have determined that there was “no chance of survival” and that recovery of her body might not be possible until spring.
Emily Franciose (pictured), a senior at the Ecole d’Humanité boarding school, has yet to be found after becoming trapped under the 2,000-foot-wide avalanche on the Gstelliwang hillside in Bern, Switzerland.
Tommy Johnson posted a note on Instagram suggesting that Franciose has yet to be found and that her parents, Reg and Sue, have been told there is “no chance of survival and that he was definitely murdered.”
Franciose’s mother, Sue, had shared a Facebook photo of her daughter celebrating the start of her senior year at the prestigious Ecole d’Humanité Swiss boarding school last August.
She wrote: ‘The senior year of high school has begun… However, the backdrop is a bit different.
Franciose was taking pictures on the slopes and posting on social media about the ski trip, until March 14.
Devastated teachers at the $70,000 a year school revealed they were “deeply saddened” after the news 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 body of the male British student was found as the search continued for Franciose, who is also believed to be buried under snow. Neither has been named by Swiss officials.
The school said in a statement that the “very experienced group” had taken precautions for a ski tour, outfitting students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels.
Search and rescue efforts began immediately but “any help came too late” for the 18-year-old Briton, the school said in a message to parents.
Franciose had been taking pictures of the ski trip. Devastated teachers at the $70,000 a year school revealed they were “deeply saddened” after the news 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 post on Instagram was posted on February 19.
Seven students from the prestigious Swiss boarding school Ecole d’Humanité were on a ski tour when an avalanche hit the Gstelliwang near Meiringen at 4:25 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 (pictured: the search for the buried American student)
The school said in a statement that the “very experienced group” had taken precautions for a ski tour, outfitting students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels. Search and rescue efforts began immediately but “any help came too late” for the 18-year-old Briton, the school (pictured) said in a message to parents.
The school’s statement on the tragedy read: ‘We are sorry for this terrible accident and are deeply saddened. We extend our heartfelt condolences and condolences to all the students, their families and close friends.’
The search for the second buried student is still going on after it was interrupted around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and only continued at dawn the next day, though it appears to have been suspended since then.
The 18-year-old Briton who died in the avalanche was originally from England but lived in Bern, where he attended the prestigious 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 fatal avalanche occurred around 4:25 p.m. Mountain rescue teams and a helicopter were deployed to help survivors.
The two students, who were on the ski tour with a mountain guide, a sports and youth leader, as well as three other outsiders, were heading up the Gstelliwang slope when an avalanche hit them and buried them both below, according to the cantonal police in Bern.
The crews of Swiss Alpine Rescue Rega, Swiss Alpine Rescue, various Rega helicopters, Air-Glaciers and Swiss Helicopter, mountain specialists and other employees of the Berne cantonal police and the Berne cantonal care team are currently searching for the second individual.
The school said a care team has been available for those in need since Tuesday night.
He added: ‘There are also people present for psychological care, including individual bereavement counselling. This comprehensive assistance will continue until the students leave.’
The Gstelliwang slope where the avalanche occurred is at the foot of the northwest face of Wellhorn.
It is assigned the height of almost 2118 meters according to a Swiss topographical map.
In summer and winter, however, you can still climb nearly a quarter mile to the foot of the Wellhorn’s northwest face.
The school said in a statement that the “very experienced group” had taken the necessary precautions for a ski tour, such as being mindful of the avalanche bulletin and equipping students with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels.