Rescuers say finding a healthy survivor who had been under an avalanche for 17 hours is a rare experience. Swiss media flocked to the bedside of Cédric Genoud in Sion, where he is being observed for two days.

Update 09:31  Sion, canton Valais, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Cédric Genoud, the 21-year-old who survived 17 hours under an avalanche and was rescued Sunday near Evolène, recounts his ordeal in a lengthy interview on TSR and in the Tribune de Genève.

The EPFL student says he decided to ski off-piste for the first time without the equipment for it, and when he was caught by an avalanche the only thing he was able to do was move his head and make a small air pocket with his helmet, a move that saved him.

He remained conscious during the night, in part because the pain in one leg that was twisted kept him awake – and for the first time in his life he prayed, and then he began to hope that animals would smell and find him. He ate snow to keep from being dehydrated. But he never gave up hope or let go of his desire to live.

When he heard the helicopter return early in the morning, after what felt like an endless night, he told the Tribune reporter, he tried moving his head again and amazingly, the helicopter pilot spotted the snowing moving.

Air Glaciers winter rescue operation (archives)

A typical Air Glaciers rescue

Genoud’s mother was at his hospital bedside for the interview and recounts the wait for news. Five years ago, almost to the day, her husband died in a paragliding accident, when he slammed into a rock face just opposite where her son was skiing.

Genoud calls his decision to go off piste after a fresh snowfall “childish” and says in future he will take more precautions and reflect more on the risks he takes. He set off the avalanche when he paused and a snow ledge broke under him.

Links to other sites: Air Glaciers report on rescuing Genoud (Fre), Tribune de Genève (Fre), TSR interview (Fre)

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