Avalanche at Swiss ski resort near Zermatt claims three lives
An American teenager and two other people were killed in an avalanche
Three people have been killed and another person injured in an avalanche at Riffelberg near the Swiss Alpine ski resort of Zermatt
The avalanche occurred at around 2:30pm local time on Tuesday, and the victims were all reportedly skiing off-piste at the time. The victims have been identified as a 15-year-old American boy, a 56-year-old Swiss man, and a 52-year-old British woman.
The injured person, a 32-year-old Swiss man, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The avalanche occurred at an altitude of around 2,700 metres on the Theodul Glacier, which is popular with off-piste skiers and snowboarders.
The avalanche risk in the area was rated as "moderate" at the time of the incident, but the authorities have warned that the risk of avalanches can change rapidly, especially in the spring.
The incident is a reminder of the dangers of off-piste skiing and snowboarding, and the importance of following the advice of the local authorities.
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