Avalanche kills woman and two girls skiing in Italian Alps

Val Senales victims include mother and seven-year-old daughter from Germany

Three helicopters join the rescue operation in Val Senales, South Tyrol (AP)

A woman and two seven-year-old girls have died in an avalanche while skiing in the Italian Alps.

The group were hit by a large snowslide at around 2,000m up the Val Senales glacier in South Tyrol on Saturday.

Italian media reported that one of the girls was the daughter of the 35-year-old woman from the German village of Hauteroda in Thuringia.

A father and his 11-year-old son, from Eschweiler near Aachen, were also injured in the same 300m-long avalanche on the Teufelsegg ski slope.

Three helicopters, including one from nearby Austria, helped a 70-strong rescue team search for any other missing skiers.

Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi sent his condolences to the families of the victims in a message on Twitter.

“Anyone who has ever skied with their children feels their blood freeze when reading news like today’s Val Senales,” he added.

Alpine rescue corps spokesman Walter Milan said the victims had not been formally identified but were all believed to be German tourists.

Mr Milan said the risk of avalanches in the area has been high. Officials have not ruled out the possibility the avalanche was triggered by off-piste skiers.

Thomas Stecher, director of the Val Senales Cable Car Company, told La Repubblica: “Our partners assessed the situation early in the morning and there was no danger. If they had doubts, they certainly would not have opened the descent to the valley.”

A man was also injured by another avalanche in a valley in Bolzano province. He was rescued by fellow skiers.

Additional reporting by Associated Press