Seven people were killed when an avalanche swept them away in the French Alps today, in the deadliest incident to hit the popular mountain range this year.
The avalanche struck around midday local time at the Snow Dome in the Alps' Massif des Ecrins, an easy-to-access 4,015m high mountain that is popular with climbers.
Rescuers, backed by three helicopters and sniffer dogs, were dispatched to the scene but a local official said search operations had now ended and the bodies of the climbers were being transported down.
He confirmed that seven people had died, and one had been injured, adding that at least five of the victims were foreign, without detailing what their nationalities were.
In January, six skiers were killed in an avalanche in the Queyras mountain range of the Alps.
Just over two months later, two Austrians and an Italian died in the Massif des Ecrins.
A police spokesman said the avalanche was likely triggered when a layer of snow separated and hurtled down the hill.
The avalanche struck on a section of the mountain that is popular with amateur climbers as it does not require advanced technical skills.
