Guardian (UK): Avalanche victim survives for 17 hours
Avalanche victim survives for 17 hours:
“Swiss police hail a miracle after rescue of young skier, 21, who suffered only mild hypothernmia.
Swiss police today hailed as ‘extraordinary’ the survival of a young skier who was buried by an avalanche for 17 hours and pulled from the snow with only mild hypothermia.
The 21-year-old man was swept away by a 50-metre wide snowslide while skiing off-piste in the Evolène region of the Alps yesterday.
But, despite the slim survival chances of anyone trapped by an avalanche for more than an hour, an air pocket enabled the man to keep breathing while buried beneath 50cm (20in) of snow, police said. [...]“
