Three skiers have died after being caught in an avalanche at the renowned French Alpine resort of Val d’Isere on Friday.
Cedric Bonnevie, who manages the resort’s pistes, confirmed the fatalities, stating that one of the victims was a French national, while the other two were foreign.
An inquiry into the tragic incident is now underway. Initial reports suggest one individual was caught higher on the mountain slope, while the other two were part of a group of five, including a professional guide, further down the face, who reportedly did not see the impending danger.
The precise cause of the avalanche remains unclear, Mr Bonnevie added.
The incident occurred just a day after Meteo France, the national weather service, had placed the local area under a red alert for avalanche risk.
Avalanches have rocked France recently, with four skiers passing away in the space of three days in the French Alps.
Two were killed on Monday, including a 38-year-old man Saint-Agnes, near Grenoble, shortly before 4pm while skiing off piste in the Belledonne mountain range, police said. He was with another skier who was unharmed.
Another man in his early 30s was also killed by a “very large avalanche” while skiing off piste near Montgenevre, on the Italian border, public prosecutor Marion Lozac’hmeur said.
He was also accompanied by a fellow skier, who was unharmed.
Ms Lozac’hmeur reported previously that two skiers were killed on Saturday after an avalanche was triggered near the village of Saint-Veran, southeastern France.
The two victims, aged in their 30s, were part of a group of four when they were struck by a large avalanche down the north side of the Tete de Longet mountain peak. The other two skiers were unharmed.
Heavy snowfall in the Alps caused the avalanches, with December through to February being peak season in the northern hemisphere.