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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Five French die in Alps avalanche | Five French die in Alps avalanche |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The bodies of five French mountaineers killed by an avalanche in Italy's northwestern Alps have been found, rescuers say. | The bodies of five French mountaineers killed by an avalanche in Italy's northwestern Alps have been found, rescuers say. |
| The group was hit by the avalanche on Wednesday in the Gran Paradiso National Park, near the French border. | The group was hit by the avalanche on Wednesday in the Gran Paradiso National Park, near the French border. |
| The expedition was at an altitude of some 2,500m (8,000ft) when the avalanche struck. | The expedition was at an altitude of some 2,500m (8,000ft) when the avalanche struck. |
| The group's French guide was pulled from the snow after being spotted by a helicopter on Wednesday night. | The group's French guide was pulled from the snow after being spotted by a helicopter on Wednesday night. |
| Fierce storm | Fierce storm |
| He is being treated in hospital in the nearby town of Aosta. | He is being treated in hospital in the nearby town of Aosta. |
| The bodies of the five climbers were found at the bottom of a gorge, according to rescue officials who said they had been dragged down some 150m (500ft) by the force of the avalanche. | |
| Massimo De Michela, a rescue official in Turin, told the Associated Press that a mass of snow fell on the group from a 3,300m peak where fresh snow had recently fallen. | |
| According to Italy's La Repubblica newspaper, the group of five climbers and their guide had set off for the difficult climb across the Alps on Wednesday afternoon. | According to Italy's La Repubblica newspaper, the group of five climbers and their guide had set off for the difficult climb across the Alps on Wednesday afternoon. |
| There was a fierce storm later and, when they failed to arrive at a mountain refuge at the expected time, the manager sounded the alarm. | There was a fierce storm later and, when they failed to arrive at a mountain refuge at the expected time, the manager sounded the alarm. |
| The initial search, which managed to locate the group's guide, had to be called off after nightfall due to bad weather on Wednesday. |