Avalanche kills three skiers in northern Italy a week after hiker tragedy

Three skiers died when an avalanche hit their group in Italy’s northern Piedmont region.

A group of five people were heading up the eastern face of the 9,373ft Punta Valgrande, on the Swiss border, when a mass of snow swept down the slope around midday.

The three who died were dragged several hundred metres from near its summit, causing fatal injuries.

Both survivors were transported to hospital by helicopter.

A level three alert warning of ‘considerable danger of avalanches’ had been issued in the area above 6,900ft. Level five is the most dangerous alert.

Last week, two hikers died in another avalanche in the Piedmont region.

An avalanche swept one of them into a freezing lake near the base of a mountain in the the Formazza valley around 12pm on Sunday, January 5.

The other was found in the mass of snow.

A search helicopters and divers had been launched after witnesses saw the avalanche hit them.

Their identities have not been released.

A British hiker is still missing in the Dolomites, a mountain range in northeastern Italy, after he and his friend went missing on New Year’s Day.

Samuel Harris, 35, was found buried in the snow in the Passo di Conca area.

But fellow Londoner Aziz Ziriat, 36, has not been located. On Saturday, his mobile phone and card were found near where Mr Harris was found.

The alarm was raised after the pair failed to check into their flight home on January 6.

Mr Ziriat’s family said: ‘We hope, with all our hearts, he will be found and brought home soon.’

There have been seven confirmed avalanche deaths in Italy so far in the 2024/25 season, which started in October. The previous year saw 13.

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