Avalanche in western Austria kills four skiers, others rescued

Four skiers were killed Wednesday after an avalanche engulfed a tour party of eight people in western Austria, police said.

Four skiers were killed Wednesday after an avalanche engulfed a tour party of eight people in western Austria, police said.

Rescue personnel try to locate a man still missing as they work at the Jochgrubenkopf mountain, southeast of Innsbruck, Austria, Wednesday, March 15, 2017 after an avalanche killed at least three mountain climbers. (Daniel Liebl/zeitungsfoto via AP Photo)

“Four from the group survived and were rescued by helicopter,” Sabine Reinthaler, police spokesperson in Tyrol state, told AFP.

But the others died, with three bodies extracted soon afterwards from the snow and a fourth later after a major search by emergency workers.

“He was recovered around 12 metres (40 feet) below the surface,” rescue worker Peter Veider told the Austria Press Agency (APA).

Rescue services said that the victims were believed to be Swiss, APA reported.

The incident occurred near the Jochgrubenkopf peak at 2,450 metres (8,040 feet) above sea level.

The deaths take to 17 the number of avalanche victims in Austria since January 1, the same level as last year.