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British climber dies in Alps fall | British climber dies in Alps fall |
(9 minutes later) | |
An 18-year-old British man has plunged 160ft to his death in the French Alps, near Chamonix, police have said. | An 18-year-old British man has plunged 160ft to his death in the French Alps, near Chamonix, police have said. |
Police said Thursday's accident on the Les Gaillands crag happened after the teenager used one rope instead of two to abseil down the rock face. | Police said Thursday's accident on the Les Gaillands crag happened after the teenager used one rope instead of two to abseil down the rock face. |
The man, who has not been named, died during his transfer by helicopter to a hospital in Geneva. | The man, who has not been named, died during his transfer by helicopter to a hospital in Geneva. |
He is understood to have been on holiday with two friends who witnessed the fatal accident. | He is understood to have been on holiday with two friends who witnessed the fatal accident. |
A French police spokesperson said: "They saw their friend falling. They could do nothing because it was too late." | A French police spokesperson said: "They saw their friend falling. They could do nothing because it was too late." |
"When he was abseiling down, one of the guys made a big technical mistake and he fell. | "When he was abseiling down, one of the guys made a big technical mistake and he fell. |
"When you abseil you must take two ropes and he only took one rope." | "When you abseil you must take two ropes and he only took one rope." |
He added: "The helicopter came but it was too late. He fell a lot of metres. He had no chance." | He added: "The helicopter came but it was too late. He fell a lot of metres. He had no chance." |
Les Gaillands is a crag popular with climbers in the Chamonix Valley, an area famous for its ski resorts. | Les Gaillands is a crag popular with climbers in the Chamonix Valley, an area famous for its ski resorts. |