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Ski student freezes to death after sending 'I'm lost' text
Amar Singh, Peter Allen and Ellen Widdup14 Jan 2009
A BRITISH student froze to death when she fell into a river after leaving a club on her own at the Val d'Isère ski resort.
Rachel Ward, 20, texted friends, many of whom had been drinking heavily, at 1am saying "I'm lost". The message was sent half an hour after she left.
It is thought she slipped and fell and then lay unconscious in temperatures of -10C before her body was found in the early hours of yesterday morning by a local man.
She had been on a trip with ski holiday organisers On The Piste. A keen hockey player and Duke of Edinburgh gold medal winner, Miss Ward, from Halifax, was a Natural Sciences student at Durham University.
Detectives believe she slipped on ice and fell into the river. An investigating officer said: "The young woman had been enjoying herself with friends when she decided to set off home alone.
"It was dark, of course, and temperatures were extremely low. She clearly got into difficulty as she tried to make her way across the resort.
"She fell heavily, but there is no sign of bruising or any other serious injury, suggesting there was no struggle beforehand. Cause of death was hypothermia."
The detective said all those who had attended the party were being interviewed, along with the man who found her body.
He added: "It was a lively party, with a lot of people drinking heavily. We are trying to establish the young woman's exact movements on Monday night. Rachel's family have been informed, and are on their way to Val d'Isere.
"We are aware of the British university celebrations which take place every year."
Her body was found on the edge of Val d'Isère, towards Le Laisinant and Le Fornet. An autopsy revealed alcohol in her bloodstream.
Her mother Edna is a solicitor and father Colin a property developer. They have a 21-year-old son Richard.
Durham University said in a statement today: "Rachel was taking part in a ski and snowboarding holiday. The holiday was organised by students and was not an official university trip.
"Rachel was a talented and popular student who was a member of the University hockey team and was also its treasurer." Professor Ed Corrigan, Principal of Durham University's Collingwood College, said: "Everyone in Collingwood is shocked by Rachel's tragic death. She will be missed by all of us. We extend our deeply felt sympathy to her family and to her many friends." A statement released by On The Piste said: "Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and we will be supporting them in any way we can. Our staff are doing everything possible to assist the family and local authorities."
Reader views (1)
My thoughts and prayers go out to Rachel's parents, brother and friends.
- Mr Barrie Meloy, Chesterfield, England, 14/01/2009 23:23
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