Richard Branson: I was ‘seconds away from certain death’ while climbing Mont Blanc in the Alps

Richard Branson said he's lucky to be alive after he and his son narrowly missed falling rocks while climbing Mount Blanc. (Reuters)

Richard Branson said Monday he was “seconds away from certain death” while climbing Mont Blanc with his son after rocks fell from above and narrowly missed their heads.

The English business magnate said his hiking group — which included his son Sam Branson and nephew Noah Devereux — avoided the rocks, which were “the size of small cars,” by about three seconds, according to Sky News.

"Three seconds earlier and we would all certainly have been killed. There's definitely a friendly star above our family and it keeps a watchful eye over us,” Branson said, according to Sky News. "A side of a cliff had broken away from the mountain further up and seconds later huge boulders the size of small cars were bouncing towards us. Rocks rained down on us from every angle.”

Warning: Graphic language in video

The 68-year-old added: "I am not exaggerating when I say four of our team were seconds away from certain death. I have never come so terrifyingly close to losing my son and other teammates and it all happened in a matter of seconds.”

Branson posted a video, taken by his son, on Instagram showing the aftermath of the incident. The group was seen taking cover in an area dubbed as “The Gully of Death" on western Europe's highest peak, standing about 15,780 feet tall.

“Guys, guys get in under the rocks,” Sam Branson says as small rocks are seen falling above them.

“@bransonsam had been filming and although you don’t see the rocks falling, you get a sense of the drama that unfolded. Throughout all our challenges I’ve never come so terrifying close to losing myself, my son and other teammates & it all happened in a matter of seconds,” Richard Branson wrote in part of the caption.

Devereux also recalled thinking Sam and Richard Branson had been crushed by the boulders.

"I was screaming 'Sam! Sam!' but we didn't hear anything back. I saw Sam and Richard's head appear above the crest of a ridge behind me and that's probably one of the greatest senses of relief I've ever experienced in my life — so much so I did have a little cry,” Branson’s nephew said.

Branson’s group was taking part in the 33-day Virgin Strive Challenge where they cycle, kayak and hike 1,242 miles across Europe. They reached the top of Mont Blanc on Saturday but took a helicopter down because of the dangerous conditions.