A BRIT woman has died after a horror whitewater rafting accident in the French Alps sparking a manslaughter investigation.
The tragic accident occurred shortly after 12pm on Saturday in the southeast of the country while she rafting was in the Guisane River.
Getty – ContributorA Brit woman died while whitewater rafting in the French Alps (stock)[/caption]
The woman was rafting in the Guisane River, Briancon, before the horror unfolded (stock)EPA
The 69-year-old Brit fell from her raft and was later “found on the riverbank”, according to the local firefighting service.
She was urgently rushed to Briancon hospital shortly after being found.
The horrific ordeal unfolded at a section of the Guisane River called “the wallet”.
The probe will investigate the circumstances of the accident, including the tour guides she was with at the time.
Gap prosecutor Marion Lozac’hmeur confirmed that the woman was of British nationality and was born in 1956.
She added that an autopsy would be conducted.
The investigation into the woman’s death was opened on Saturday, and is being led by Briançon CRS Alpes.
The public prosecutor said: “Investigations are continuing to determine the circumstances of the accident.”
The crew on board the small boat had reportedly set off from Parc des Colombiers in Saint-Chaffrey.
It was supposed to reach the bridge on Route Nationale 94, near the Bricorama store in Briançon.
The tragic victim died shortly after being taken to Briancon hospital.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are in touch with local authorities following the death of a British woman in France.”
It comes after another rafting accident in the Grand Canyon in 2022 which killed one woman.
The 68-year-old was identified as Mary Kelley, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Kelley was on the ninth day of a multi-day rafting trip down the river when she fell into the water near Hance Rapid, according to a statement from the National Parks Service.
Earlier this month, a Brit tourist died on a cruise ship travelling through a popular Greek island.
The 67-year-old man passed away on the vessel “flying the Maltese flag” in the port of holiday hotspot Corfu.
The tragedy also comes after a cruise ship captain died in the middle of a 19-day voyage in Asia, as passengers were told of his death in a tannoy announcement.
Michele Bartolomei was captaining Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess when he suddenly died on May 19 following a medical emergency.
His ship was on a 19-day South Islands Explorer voyage to countries including Japan and Korea.
Horrified passengers and crew learned of the captain’s death over a shock announcement over the ship’s public address system.
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