‘Beyond heartbroken’: Family of Brit mum & son killed in avalanche while skiing on Alps left with ‘hole in our lives’

THE family of the British mum and son who were killed in a devastating avalanche in the French alps have said they are “beyond heartbroken”. Kate Vokes, 54, and Archie, 22, died on Thursday in what the family describe as a “tragic accident” while skiing off-piste in a Mont Blanc resort. PAKate and Archie Vokes died in a skiing accident on Thursday[/caption] PAAn avalanche swept through the resort killing the mother-son duo[/caption] “We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of our beloved, wonderful Kate and Archie,” the devastated family said in a statement. “Words cannot express how terrible we all feel nor the hole in our lives that has been left by this tragic accident. “We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve together as a family.” The avalanche swept through an off-piste area on the slopes of Mont Joly, at an altitude of 7,545 feet, the administration for the Haute-Savoie region said in a statement. It involved a total of eight people – with five of them making a miraculous escape and one of them being injured. The instructor along with Kate and Archie were completely buried by the snow, but the teacher was pulled out alive. Dozens of mountain rescuers set out to search for the two missing skiers, but found both were later found dead under the snow. Five other Brits reportedly from the same family were caught up in the blast. The Public Prosecutor said an investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances of this tragedy.  An investigating source said: “They were surprised by an avalanche around Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, while off-piste. “They were in a group of eight people, made up of a ski instructor and his students, when they were hit at a height of around 2300 metres.” The family’s statement continued: “Kate was chair of the Oglesby Charitable Trust, a director of their family-owned property company Bruntwood, deputy chair of the Royal Exchange Theatre and a trustee of charities Shared Health and Focused Care. “Archie was a personal trainer at Form in Manchester and in the previous year had achieved his level 1 ski instructor qualification in Canada.” More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online. Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.