Norway avalanche kills 5 Swiss skiers

Norway avalanche kills 5 Swiss skiers

2012-03-20 11:41:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

OSLO, NORWAY (BNO NEWS) -- Six people were buried by an avalanche in northern Norway, local authorities said Monday.

The avalanche, which reportedly measured around one kilometer wide, occurred on Monday afternoon in Engnes Valley, located in Kåfjord in North Troms.

A group of twelve tourists from France and Switzerland were in the popular ski area of the 1,288-meter high Sorbmegaisa mountain, and six of them were buried. They immediately notified local authorities, at around 2:30 p.m. local time.

Gaute Aust Eggen, from the local police, told NRK news agency that five people had been confirmed dead after their bodies were pulled out from the snow. According to reports, all of fatal victims were Swiss nationals.

In addition, a sixth person was pulled out alive after being located about seven meters in the snow. The individual was transported to the North Norway University Hospital in Tromsø.

Search-and-rescue teams of around 30 to 40 people had been working in the area with the help of three helicopters, two of them transport aircraft, which were sent by the military. Furthermore, two F-16 aircraft were dispatched to determine the area affected by the avalanche.

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