Man, 40, is charged with manslaughter over death of British girl, five, killed in collision while learning to ski in the French Alps Five-year-old British girl was killed in accident on a ski slope in French Alps Young girl was having lesson on piste when skier careered into her at high speed A 40-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter over the death By Peter Allen In Paris and Alexandra Williams In Geneva and Jamie Phillips For Mailonline Published: 20:20 GMT, 17 January 2022 | Updated: 20:23 GMT, 17 January 2022 A man has been charged with manslaughter of a five-year-old British girl killed in a collision while learning to ski in the French Alps. The 40-year-old suspect, who has not been identified, has been in custody since Saturday in Bonnevile, eastern France. It was then that witnesses watched him skiing ‘at high speed’ over ‘a slight bump’ and then colliding with the little child, who has been named locally only as Ophélie. She was taking a lesson on a Blue beginners’ slope in the resort of Flaine, in France’s eastern Haute-Savoie department. ‘The skier involved in the death has been indicted for manslaughter,’ said an investigating source. The five-year-old girl died after a skier careered into her at high speed in the ski resort of Flaine in the French Alps. Pictured: GV of the Flaine resort The horrific accident took place in the ski resort of Flaine, in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps ‘He has been placed under judicial control and is specifically accused of a deliberate violation of safety obligations’ the source added. The crime is punishable with up to five years in prison, and a fine equivalent to £62,000. This information was confirmed by Karline Bouisset, the public prosecutor in Bonneville, who also said that the man, a volunteer fire fighter, had been ‘skiing at high speed’. She added that a dozen people, including direct witnesses to the tragedy, have been interviewed ‘at length’ since Saturday. The skier tried to administer first-aid to the child, who had been skiing with four other girls and boys, but she never recovered consciousness and died on her way to hospital in a helicopter at about 1pm. Ophélie lived with her British parents in Geneva, and they also own a holiday home in Les Carroz, another Alpine ski resort. The children were on the Serpentine Blue run, and in a group lesson run by France’s ESF national ski school. Ms Bouisset said: ‘The child was in a single file behind the group and was about to make a right turn when she was very violently hit by the skier arriving at high speed who tried in vain to avoid her.' Jean-Paul Constant, the Mayor of nearb Arâches, said: ‘We are actively looking for a psychologist who speaks English for the family, who have returned to Geneva. ‘They are suffering from extreme shock, as are many others involved in this tragedy.’ The criminal suspect comes from Saint-Jeoire, and he is offering his full cooperation to the authorities. A post-mortem was due to take place on Monday to determine the cause of death, but the results had not been released by the evening. Some resorts in France and Switzerland have introduced speed cameras and hand-held radar devices in a move aimed at reducing accidents on pistes. The limit on many has been set at 30kph, a little under 19 mph, but far lower speeds are expected on easier slopes. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility