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French Alps avalanche: Three tourists dead and one injured in Briancon French Alps avalanche: Three tourists dead and one injured in Briancon
(35 minutes later)
At least three tourists have died in an avalanche in the French Alps this afternoon, officials said. An avalanche in the French Alps killed three tourists and injured one other this afternoon, officials have said.
An Italian and two Austrians were killed in the snow slide, while a fourth person has been rushed by helicopter to a hospital in Grenoble. An Italian and two Austrians were killed, while a fourth person was rushed by helicopter to a hospital in Grenoble, after the snow slide hit the Ecrins massif, near the town of Briancon, in mid-afternoon.
The nature of their injuries are yet unknown.The nature of their injuries are yet unknown.
The snow slide took place in mid-afternoon in the Ecrins massif, near the town of Briancon, as a group of skiers - all non-French nationals - were travelling along a mountain, Hautes-Alpes department officials said. The victims were part of a group of eight skiers, from a party of 12, which was swept away in the avalanche at around 3pm today, the Mirror reported.
Seven of the skiers are holed up in a refuge building nearby at an altitude of about 3,500 metres (11,500ft), and will stay there overnight until emergency services are able to rescue them, officials said. None of the skiers were French nationals, Hautes-Alpes department officials said.
More to follow Seven of the skiers are holed up in a refuge building nearby at an altitude of about 3,500 metres (11,500ft), and will stay there overnight until emergency services are able to rescue them, officials told the Associated Press.
PA Mountain rescue teams accompanied by sniffer dogs were dispatched to the scene.
The tragic incident comes after a British man, 30, was swept away and killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.
The snow in the region is particularly unstable due to as a bought of heavy snowfall has followed a period of warm weather.