As the pilot’s words filled me with hope, I perused the steep chutes and precarious descents for signs of my brother. But, honestly, I suspected the worst. I knew avalanches most often kill by suffocation. There is air even in dense avalanche debris, but it is unattainable if the victim’s mouth and nose are plugged with snow. Even if the victim can draw a breath, his exhalations will begin to make any available air less accessible by coating the snow surface around his mouth with ice.
It seems you’re looking for a comprehension of the text you’ve provided. The passage describes the dire situation of a person searching for their brother after an avalanche, reflecting both hope and despair. The pilot’s words offer encouragement, but the narrator is aware of the harsh reality of avalanches, particularly how they can lead to suffocation by blocking the airway.
A key point is that there is air in the debris, but it’s unreachable if the mouth and nose are obstructed by snow. The mention of exhalations making air less accessible highlights the critical, time-sensitive nature of rescue in such situations.
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