Four hikers killed by avalanche in French Pyrenees

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The place where the accident has taken place. Photo: EFE

Authorities in southern France say an avalanche in the Pyrenees has killed four hikers. The four died Thursday when a snow shelf gave way as they were climbing the Midi de Bigorre peak, officials in the town of Bagneres-de-Bigorre say.

The accident took place in a slope of Midi de Bigorre’s Peak. They were about 100 meters (330 feet) from the top of the peak when the shelf broke. They were roped up and fell 400 meters down swept by the avalanche.

They were made out trying to climb Midi de Bigorre's Peak soem minutes before the avalanche. They were roped up and fell 400 meters down swept by the avalanche.

After the avalanche, police started searching the four mountaineers helped by helicopters.

Police in Gavarnie has recovered the corpses, which have been transferred to the morgue in Tarbe.

All four were residents of the Atlantic Pyrenees, France's central Pyrenees region, officials said Friday. Two of them lived in Igon and Billeres (near Pau) and the other two are a father and a son of 46 and 24 years old who lived in Saint Gaudens and Billeres.

Authorities in southern France say an avalanche in the Pyrenees has killed four hikers. The four died Thursday when a snow shelf gave way as they were climbing the Midi de Bigorre peak, officials in the town of Bagneres-de-Bigorre say.