Bodies of five cross-country skiers found in Swiss Alps

FIVE cross-country skiers have died in the Swiss Alps after the mountains were hit with heavy snow and high winds.

They were found near the Col de la Tete Blanche, at around 11,500ft (3,500m), on Sunday evening “without any signs of life”, police from the Swiss canton of Valais said. Three of the skiers were brothers, according to reports. A sixth person is still missing.

An investigation into the incident has been launched. It is not clear whether the group was hit by an avalanche or got into trouble as a result of the weather.

The skiers, all of whom are believed to be Swiss and aged between 21 and 58, had been missing since Saturday.

They had set off from the Swiss resort town of Zermatt and were on a ski tour heading for Arolla, which lies on the border between Switzerland and Italy. The route they took is part of the famous Haute Route that leads from Zermatt to Chamonix. Several of the group were said to be expert cross-country skiers and had been preparing for a race, la Patrouille des Glaciers or the Patrol of the Glaciers, which takes place next month.

The alarm was raised by a relative who had been waiting for the group to arrive in Arolla on Saturday afternoon. A phone call made by a member of the group at around 5pm on Saturday enabled rescuers to pinpoint their location.

The search and rescue operation included 11 helicopters and 35 rescue personnel, Swiss police said at a press conference yesterday.

“Everything possible was done to save these six people,” said Christian Varone, the head of Valais police.