Four die in Swiss avalanche

Four skiers died in an avalanche after straying off piste in the Swiss Alps today.

Police spokesman Pierre-Martin Moulin said the four were caught in the snowslide in the southern canton of Valais.

He did not identify the dead skiers, but said they came from Sweden, Denmark and France.

A fifth skier, who was found injured, was flown to hospital by helicopter, he said.

Swiss authorities warned of a high avalanche risk after heavy snowfalls blanketed most of the country. They urged skiers to stay on clearly marked trails.

Two skiing instructors were swept to their deaths by an avalanche in the Savoy region of the French Alps. Their bodies were found at an altitude of 6,500 ft and in an area off-limits to skiers.