Avalanche across a Blue piste in Samoens today

My parents, uncle, aunt and cousins are there, hope they are ok? Hope everyone else has reassuringly heard from family?

The avalanche was triggered by two Swiss snowboarders, one of whom sustained serious injuries (multiple fractures) and was flown to hospital in Geneva. Fortunately no one else appears to have been involved. The avalanche was 80m x 40m and the rescue required thirty rescuers (the piste had to be probed), dogs and a helicopter. The incident took place at 11:20 and the rescue operation was concluded at 14:15, expensive. It will be interesting to see if the French decide to prosecute.

If my understanding of the regulations is correct, the lift companies are only required to protect the pistes against spontaneous avalanches.

The two incidents in Zermatt were the result of spontaneous avalanches and both resulted in fatalities. The first one resulted in the person responsible avalanche protection in the affected sector being prosecuted for manslaughter (he was found not guilty). I don't know if the authorities have taken any action with regard to the second incident.

I've only been there the once myself, in March 2010. However, if I remember correctly there is a really quite steep black run above that area of piste, or certainly in the vicinity and it was never once pisted during my stay... is it possible the boarders were on that or is it further over than I recall?