British Tourist Tragically Perishes in Rafting Accident in French Alps

Sun Oct 19 2025 07:35:20 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A British woman has lost her life following a white-water rafting mishap on the Guisane river in the French Alps.

A British tourist died after falling from her raft while on an organized excursion in Briançon, France. The incident occurred shortly after noon on Saturday, prompting a search and rescue operation that eventually led to her being found on the riverbank and airlifted to a hospital. Despite efforts, she passed away later that evening. Local authorities are investigating the incident as involuntary manslaughter, with an autopsy scheduled. This tragedy follows a previous rafting incident in which another British man died in 2024 during similar activities on the river Durance.

A British woman has died on a white-water rafting excursion in the French Alps. The tragic incident occurred shortly after noon local time on Saturday on the Guisane river in Briançon, southern France. According to regional prosecutor Marion Lozac'hmeur, the woman fell from her raft during a section known as "the wallet." After being found on the riverbank, she was airlifted to a hospital but unfortunately succumbed to her injuries the same evening.

The UK's Foreign Office has confirmed the incident and is currently in contact with local authorities. While the victim’s identity remains undisclosed, her death has prompted an investigation into involuntary manslaughter, including plans for an autopsy.

Both the Guisane and Durance rivers are known for their white-water rafting opportunities, typically navigable only during early summer months due to their challenging rapids, which are fed by glacier melt and snowfall. Last year, a British man faced a similar fate on the Durance river after being part of a kayaking group that encountered difficulties during high river flow conditions.