Overview

• Two hikers on snowshoes were killed by an avalanche in the Italian Alps near Switzerland.
• The avalanche occurred around noon on Sunday at the 2,200-meter (7,200-foot) level in the Formazza valley in the Piedmont region.
• 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.
• A search operation was launched after guards at a nearby dike reported seeing the avalanche strike the two hikers.
• Despite strong winds, a helicopter was able to lower a rescue team aided by a dog unit to the site.