Alpine avalanches caused the deaths of two men and a 20-year-old French woman skier today and at least three people were reported missing, officials said.
The woman, whose identity was not immediately released, had been with a ski group which had strayed several dozen metres from a marked piste near Tignes in the Savoie district of the French Alps, emergency services said.
The two men, both aged 50 and experienced mountaineers, were overtaken in Liechtenstein by a sudden avalanche and died as they were rushed to hospital, police said.
A further avalanche in the Obwald canton of Switzerland swept away at least five people but all were rescued unharmed although three others were still missing in the area, according to reports late today.
Three people had to be hospitalised with hypothermia in the Swiss Grisons canton after three separate avalanches temporarily swept away five people.
Meanwhile, a 47 year-old skier was still missing this evening despite extensive search operations including helicopter sweeps, after disappearing on Friday near St Gallen in Switzerland.
In the French Alps, six off-piste skiers were temporarily swept away by an avalanche, and one was later rushed to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Four other people including a nine year-old girl were slightly injured.
AFP