ROME (AP) — Two snowshoe hikers were killed by an avalanche in the Italian Alps near Switzerland, rescue workers said Sunday.
The avalanche struck around noon on Sunday at 2,200 meters above sea level in the Formazza valley in the Piedmont region, said Federico Catania, a spokesman for Italian Alpine rescue services.
The force of the avalanche pushed one of the victims into a lake near the bottom of the slope, while the other body was found in the mass of snow, he said.
Despite strong winds, a helicopter was able to lower a rescue team aided by a dog unit.
The identities of the two victims were not immediately released.
A search operation was launched after guards on a nearby boardwalk reported seeing an avalanche hitting two hikers, Catania said. An initial search on foot failed to locate the hikers, forcing the use of the helicopter.
A fire helicopter with divers was dispatched to retrieve the lake’s frame, rescuers said.
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