An avalanche in Italy's Dolomite mountains has killed five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl and her father, according to rescuers.
The mountaineers, travelling in separate groups, were scaling Cima Vertana in the Ortler Alps at around 16:00 local time on Saturday when the fast-moving snow hit.
A group of three people was fully swept away by the avalanche and all died, said Italy's Alpine rescue service, Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico.
Separately, the father and daughter were carried away by the avalanche and their bodies were recovered on Sunday. Two other climbers in a third party survived.
The alarm was raised by the survivors, triggering the rescue operation.
Olaf Reinstadler, a spokesperson for the Sulden Mountain Rescue Service, told German media that the avalanche on the 3,545-metre (11,630ft) mountain, also known as Vertainspitze, could have been triggered by recent snow drifts that had not firmly bonded with the underlying ice.
He expressed concern over why the climbers were attempting to summit the peak late in the afternoon, as this would have delayed their descent until nightfall.
The bodies of the three climbers who were together were recovered on Saturday, but rescue efforts were halted as night fell and conditions became unsafe. Unfortunately, helicopters could not operate initially on Sunday due to fog and low visibility.
Once conditions improved, rescuers and avalanche dog units were airlifted to 2,600 meters before setting out on foot. By late morning, the bodies of the father and daughter were found.
