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A 34-year-old Briton was shot by a hunter as he hurtled down a wooded mountain bike track in the French Alps, officials said.
The victim, whose name was not disclosed, was a restaurant owner who lived for several years in the small resort of Les Gets.
He was shot dead on Saturday night as a group of hunters made their way through the woods near the Montriond ski resort, according to a local prosecutor quoted by the news wire.
The victim was "perfectly identifiable" and was on a heavily used but difficult access mountain trail when she was shot by a 22-year-old hunter, who was taken to the hospital under shock.
An investigation was opened on manslaughter, said the prosecutor.
A spokeswoman for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Ministry said: "We are in contact with local authorities about the death of a Briton in France and we are helping his family."
The local newspaper, Le Dauphine Libere, reported that the accident occurred around 6 pm Saturday during a seven-man hunt organized by the local hunting association.
According to the newspaper, the victim, who was not named, was climbing the light at the edge of a forest outside Montriand, north of Morzine and Avoriaz, in the Portes du Soleil region.
The man lived near Les Gets, where he owned a restaurant, according to the newspaper. He would have died as a result of one gunshot wound.
The man who shot him was not arrested or charged. The prosecutor, Philippe Toccanier, of Thonon, ordered local gendarmes to secure the premises and recover all available evidence.
Toccanier opened an investigation into possible aggravated manslaughter.
The accident occurred just two weeks after another young hunter in the area was sentenced to one year in prison for accidentally killing a trail runner with a single bullet in the head, which caused many calls. in favor of more severe hunting restrictions in Public.
Although in constant decline, accidents are still frequent during the hunting season in France.
According to the ONCFS National Hunting and Wildlife Agency, between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018, 115 people were injured in hunting accidents. Thirteen died as a result of their injuries, including three people who were not involved in a hunt.
