Five mountain climbers die in Austrian Alps

Five mountain climbers have died in the Austrian Alps, east of Innsbruck.

The climbers died in an accident at Mount Gabler, said the head of rescue services.

The BBC report that one of the group survived, and was flown to hospital in Salzburg, about 80km (50 miles) away.

Officials say the climbers were below the Mannlkarscharte pass, in an area with a heightened risk of rockslides.

“We think a rope may have come loose,” said Anton Voithofer, head of the Red Cross rescue team told the BBC.

The accident is believed to be the deadliest so far this season in the Austrian Alps, where several dozen mountaineers die annually.

Their nationalities and how they died have yet to be determined.

Additional reporting AP

Nationalities and how they died have yet to be determined