Settle a discussion for me

[twicketface]

Marie and I were walking home from the Fellowship this morning and talking about avalanches. Marie claims that people who die in an avalanche die because they run out of oxygen. I claim that they die of hypothermia. I can't phrase my question into a search engine well enough to get back the answer I need.

Anyone?

Comments

[hored.livejournal.com]

Probably a combination of the two. I'm thinking that the pressure from all the snow does not allow for proper lung expansion which will eventually lead to asphyxiation, and the drop in body tempurature probably speeds the process of death.