As a small French town mourns nine schoolchildren and a teacher killed in France's worst avalanche since 1970, questions are being raised about the responsibility of their guide, and the government-sponsored group that hosted the children's visit to the French Alps.
Twenty-six children from St Francis of Assisi secondary school in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, in the Yvelines department, just northwest of Paris, spent last Thursday night in a shelter high in the Alps. They watched a spectacular sunrise on Friday morning, and were delighted by the clear, sunny weather on the last day of their holiday.
Yet for unknown reasons their lead guide, Mr Daniel Forte (42), ignored an avalanche danger warning of four on a scale from one to five, and took the group off the marked trail.
Mr Forte did not even take the precaution of equipping the group with spades, sounding rods or electronic beacons to help rescue workers in the event they were buried in snow. The public prosecutor for the Gap region, Mr Michel Selaries, has announced an investigation on suspicion of manslaughter, involuntary injury and endangering the lives of others.
According to judicial sources Mr Forte was taken into custody yesterday.
Lieut Laurent Jaunatre, the gendarmerie officer who began the rescue operation on Friday afternoon, said the avalanche flow was 1.5 metres deep, 150 metres wide and 50 metres long. "It was the first group of two adults and six teenagers who, when they arrived at the crest at 2,200 metres, started the avalanche that swept them down, along with the others who were following," Lieut Jaunatre told journalists.
"In all, there were 26 children and six adults. The snow propelled them towards a forest of larch trees they had just walked through . . . The victims were wrapped around the trunks and we had to use chain-saws to free them. It was truly terrible," he said.
On Friday evening relatives and friends of those in the group went to the school, where the principal, Jacques Roger, choked back tears as he announced: "We know now that some of our children will not return. Our lives and the life of our establishment will be shattered by this for a long time. I hope that those who believe in youth will share our pain."
Eight of the nine dead children were girls, all aged between 13 and 15. Their female maths and physics professor and a woman guide employed by the governmental outdoor sports association, UCPA, were also killed.
Mr Daniel Forte, the surviving lead guide, is also a UCPA employee. The parents of the victims intend to sue the UCPA and Mr Forte, and the French Minister of Youth and Sports has announced an investigation into the UCPA's operations.
The tragedy has renewed controversy over France's policy of allowing free access to high mountains. In other countries - the US for example - it is forbidden to ski or hike outside marked areas.
Fifty-two people were killed in mountain accidents in France during the winter of 1996-'97.
