Regional officials say three hikers have died in a snow avalanche in the French Alps. Authorities in the Isere region say the accident occurred near the Ayes pass close to the town of Saint-Pancrasse on Sunday.
The nationalities of the victims, three men aged in their 50s, were not immediately known. Rescue teams backed by search dogs were deployed in blustery conditions to look for others who might have also been involved in a group trek with the victims.
The local regional government says heavy snowfalls hit the area in the last few days, and a recent warming of temperatures and rainfall increased the risk of avalanches of soft, wet snow.