Avalanches kill nine in Italy and Austria as heavy snow hits Alps

Nine people died in avalanches in Austria and Italy over the weekend as heavy snow and school holidays drew skiers into the Alps.

Some of the victims died after skiing in unmarked areas despite warnings of elevated avalanche risk, police said.

On Sunday, a snow plow driver in East Tirol in Austria was found dead after being swept away. In Oetztal a 32-year-old Chinese skier died, while in Zillertal a 17-year old male from New Zealand was buried and in Kleinwalsertal a 55-year-old German man missing since Friday was found dead.

More than a dozen avalanches were reported in the Tirol region of Austria alone and authorities had set the warning level at four on a scale of five and urged caution.

A 31-year-old German woman was killed on Saturday in the South Tirol region of Italy when a snowmass broke loose at 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) near the Limo Pass some 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of Bolzano, the dpa news agency reported.

Rescue efforts were complicated by 75-mile-per-hour winds; her body was recovered from under 2.5 metres of snow. Another woman skiing with her was freed from the snow unharmed.

Other victims on Saturday included a 29-year-old ski guide and his 33-year-old male guest who were skiing away from prepared ski runs when a snowboarder set off an avalanche above them in St Anton in Austria. And in Kaunertal a 62-year-old man was killed by another snowslide.