British climbers survive Mont Blanc avalanche
Aiguille di Bionnassay avalanche sweeps away 23 year old
A 23 year old British mountaineer was swept 700 metres by an avalanche on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, whilst climbing with two others.
The three climbers from Chamonix were making their way down from the Aiguille di Bionnassy when the avalanche struck, fortunately both, Ben Tibbetts and Misha Gopaul, managed to avoid the path of slide but the third climber, Alastair Swinton, was caught in the avalanche. The 23 year old survived the avalanche by staying afloat by swimming the 700 metres that the avalanche carried him down the mountain face.
The avalanche struck at 13:00 on Wednesday 15th of May when the climbers were between the Col de Miage and the Col de Bionnassay.
Chief of Italian rescue says Alastair Swinton 'was very, very lucky', and escaped with few cuts and bruises.
