British chef Jamie Clark, 38, killed in Swiss Alps avalanche

Tributes have been paid to a “genuinely lovely” British chef killed by an avalanche while skiing off-piste in the Swiss Alps.

The 38-year-old, named by friends online as Jamie Clark from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, was among 10 people swept away from the slopes at the popular alpine resort of Verbier, to the east of Geneva, on Monday morning.

Eight other people escaped uninjured, local police said, while one was flown to hospital with serious injuries.

It is believed Mr Clark, a budding chocolatier, had been working as a chef in Verbier at least seasonally for much of the last decade before his death.

Writing on Facebook, Rachel-Joan Ciandella said: “Jamie would want us all to get together- to meet & most of all dance!!!!

“My deepest condolences to his family Id been in regular contact & he was loving life in Verbier & happy healthy.

“Sad freak accident.”

Vanessa Strand added on Facebook: “Monday we lost an absolute gent, a talented chef, a cracking DJ and a true friend.. I’ve been in complete shock.. and can’t believe we’ve had to be reminded again how life can be snapped away so easily, it seems so brutally cruel and unfair.

"It was an honour to have known you, you pretended to be a grumpy bugger, but you had integrity, strong values and a heart of gold.

“I feel it was such a gift to have bumped into you on Saturday and skied together and then have dinner that night.. we laughed, drank too much wine & played stupid games a memory I’ll hold dear.”

Natalie Sunter said on Facebook: "So so sad and not quite sinking in.

“Jamie was kind, funny and a genuinely lovely bloke. The fun times we had in Doncaster will stay with me for life. ”

A police spokesman said: “The avalanche occurred outside the piste between the Verbier ski area and Les Attelas.

“At around 10.20am, a skier was driving down a corridor below the Attelas area.

“A snow drift came loose and carried the skier as well as another person who had been further down at the time.”

Police said an investigation into the death has been launched.

It follows several days of heavy snowfall across Switzerland, which claimed the life of another skier who died after being buried by an avalanche while skiing in Gstaad.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in the Swiss Alps, and are in contact with the authorities in Switzerland.

“Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”