Armenian News-News-am has received new details with respect to the unfortunate incident that occurred on February 22, involving a French mountaineer on a mountain in Aghveran mountain resort of Armenia.

We have learned that this mountaineer had moved ahead of the rest of his group in order to check the area. But some time thereafter, he was trapped under an avalanche.  

The other mountaineers had found their lost friend by way of GPS.

After the respective report which the 911 emergency hotline had received, first the quick response team from the Hrazdan town rescue squad went to the scene on foot; subsequently, a special rescue squad also headed to the area; and at around 1:30pm, a helicopter from the Ministry of Defense (MOD) was dispatched for assistance.

The Police informed Armenian News-NEWS.am the forensic medical examination into this incident has not been completed yet, and an investigation is still in progress.

Armenian News-NEWS.am has also learned that the matter is being discussed with respect to transferring this French citizen’s body back to France.

As reported earlier, on February 22 at 11:05am, the 911 emergency hotline received a report that five mountaineers—who are French citizens—had climbed a mountain nearby a hotel in Aghveran. One of them, however, had become trapped under snow, his friends had quickly pulled this person out of the pile of snow, but the French national had lost consciousness.

This Frenchman died at 3:40pm on board the MOD helicopter. His body was helicoptered to capital city Yerevan, while rescuers escorted the other four mountaineers back to their hotel in Aghveran.