Grenoble - At least six people died and up to 13 were missing after an avalanche swept away a group of teenagers and their guides trekking with snowshoes near the ski resort of Les Orres in the southern French Alps yesterday, officials said.
A local government spokesman said rescuers pulled out 22 people alive. At least two were seriously hurt, while most of the others appeared to have suffered slight injuries.
There were confusing reports about the number of people missing, but the spokesman said up to 13 others could still be trapped under the snowslide, their chances of surviving dwindling rapidly.
More than 100 rescuers and paramilitary gendarmes with dogs rushed to the scene after the alert was raised. Twelve helicopters ferried survivors to hospitals in the nearby towns of Embrun and Gap.
The group was believed to have comprised 32 teenagers from the town of Montigny-leBretonneux near Paris on a school holiday, and nine adults, four of them trained mountaineers.
Officials said the party was swept away by an avalanche apparently triggered by another group skiing above them outside authorised runs.
