French Alps avalanche: Teacher 'faces manslaughter probe', say police

(AFP or licensors)

A French teacher who was accompaying a group of high school students swept away in an avalanche on the French Alps, is facing a manslaughter probe, police say.

Prosecutor Jean-Yves Coquillat says that police have opened an investigation into involuntary manslaughter charges.

At least three people died at the Deux Alpes ski resort on Wednesday.

Two of the deceased were reportedly among a group of ten schoolchildren on a skiing trip with their PE teacher from Lycee Saint-Exupery in Lyon.

A 16-year-old girl died at the scene and a 14-year-old boy died from his injuries later in hospital.

A third deceased is understood to be a Ukranian national who was not part of the group and was skiing alone.

It is understood that they were skiing on a slope which was closed and that avalanche warnings had been issued in the area.

Speaking at a conference this afternoon, Mr Coquillat said that the piste was "closed with the usual signs in several languages- four languages."

He added that: "The investigation should determine the psychiatric state of the teacher and his ability to lead a group."

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