Student seriously injured in avalanche

A Sea King rescue helicopterA Sea King rescue helicopter.Photo: Gunnar Lier / SCANPIX .

Student seriously injured in avalanche in Finnmark

A person was seriously injured when an avalanche was triggered in Langfjorden in Alta municipality on Thursday. Two others were also involved, but both escaped unscathed.

 

A class from a public (private) high school (folkehøyskole)  consisting of 14 persons was on a top trip accompanied by a teacher in the area when the avalanche was triggered, even though the Norwegian Directorate of Water and Energy (NVE) had issued a red alert regarding the danger of for major avalanches in the area.

A 20-year-old female student was injured in the avalanche and was flown to the hospital in Hammerfest by helicopter. Her condition is serious, but stable, Finnmark Hospital informs on Thursday afternoon.

The headmaster of the college, Henning Iversen, explains that its talk of a serious injury to one arm.

– There is a serious fracture in and arm and she will undergo surgery tonight. But it’s not a serious injury; she will hopefully heal completely, he says to  iFinnmark.

Rescue leader at the Main Rescue Center, Olav Bjørgaas, announced earlier on Thursday that three people were involved in the avalanche. None of them were covered by the snow, but the 20-year-old needed immediate help and was sent to hospital in a Sea King rescue helicopter.

The other two got themselves free from the snow masses, and were helped by police and the Red Cross along with the rest of the group.

– They were transported down to the nearest road and taken care of by health personnel, says operations manager in the Finnmark police district, Lars Rune Hagen, to NTB.

Effort Leader in the Finnmark Police District, Steinar Aas Andersen, tells NRK that all members of the party were equipped with avalanche seekers, senders and also search poles.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today