Irish skier dies in Swiss avalanche

A 27-year-old Irish skier was one of four people killed as avalanches struck the Swiss and French Alps.

The cross-country skier, who lived in Zurich, was reported missing after 9pm local time on Thursday near the village of Realp in southern Switzerland.

However, his body was not recovered from the site until yesterday as severe weather prevented access by rescue teams. The Swiss Alps have seen heavy snowfall in recent days.

The man’s name was not released last night. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to the Irishman’s family.

He was the second man to die in a Swiss avalanche in the past few days, after a man was killed in the southeastern resort of St Moritz.

At least two other skiers died on the Alps yesterday.

A 50-year-old French mountain worker died in Courchevel as he tried to reach his chalet on Grand Plan mountain with his son.

Meanwhile, in the south-eastern resort of Serre-Chevalier, a teenage skier died after being buried by an avalanche.

The deaths came as seven skiers were swept away when avalanches hit the resorts of Val-Thorens, Courchevel, La Clusaz, and Serre-Chevalier.