Three dead in French Alps ski resort avalanche in Bonneval-sur-Arc area

Three people have died in an avalanche that struck an Alpine ski resort.

The hikers, two men and a woman, were engulfed in snow at around midday local time near the Bonneval-sur-Arc area, near the Italian border.

One of the men was a high-mountain guide but it is unclear if he was on an outing with friends or working, French media reported.

The search and rescue mission ended just after 2pm local time.

Earlier in the day, a CRS Alpes de Modane visited the scene in a helicopter to search for additional victims.

It comes after four people died in an avalanche in the French ski resort of Tignes in February.

Three more skiers were killed in the northern Italian Alps in March.