French Olympic snowboarder Julie Pomagalski, 40, dead after avalanche in Swiss Alps

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Julie Pomagalski, a French snowboarder who competed in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics, died Tuesday after getting caught up in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps, the French Ski Federation said. She was 40.

Pomagalski finished in sixth place in the parallel giant slalom in Olympic Games in both Salt Lake City and Turin, Italy.

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She won a gold medal in snowboard cross at the 1999 World Championships in Berchtesgaden, Germany, and a silver medal in the parallel giant slalom at the 2003 World Championships in Kreischberg, Austria.

The ski federation sent its condolences in their statement.

"… The tragic death of Julie, snowboard world champion and Olympian, leaves the France OLY team in mourning for one of their own," the French Olympic Team added in a separate statement.

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Police said the cause of the avalanche was unclear. The incident occurred on Gemsstock mountain in the Swiss canton of Uri, according to French and Swiss media.

"Suddenly there was an avalanche for reasons that are still unknown," police said. "As a result, three people slid down the slope with the avalanche. One person was slightly injured and flown by Rega to Kantonsspital Uri hospital. The other two people were completely covered. Any help came too late for them."

Tributes poured in for the snowboarder on social media.

She was the granddaughter of Jean Pomagalski – the founder of Poma, which is a French ski lift manufacturing company.

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The French Ski Federation said Bruno Cutelli, a ski guide, also died in the avalanche.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.