Nine Climbers Killed in French Alp Avalanche

The BBC and other sources are reporting that nine climbers have been killed and nine others injured in an avalanche near the French Alpine ski resort of Chamonix.

Two Spaniards, one German and one Swiss national were among the victims, the Haute-Savoie prefecture told the BBC. Two others have not been identified.

The bodies of three more people - said to be Britons - have also been found. At least four people are still missing. Rescue teams are using a helicopter and heat-seeking device to try to locate the missing.

The French authorities described the avalanche as "the most deadly" in recent years.

The alarm was sounded by one of the injured on the slopes of Mont Maudit. The route is popular with summer tourists heading for the summit of Mont Blanc.