Helicopters of the emergency services are pictured in Vent, near Soelden, Austria after an avalanche occurred, on April 11, 2024.
Helicopters of the emergency services are pictured in Vent, near Soelden, Austria after an avalanche occurred, on April 11, 2024. Image Credit: AFP

Vienna: Three Dutch skiers died, while another was injured in an avalanche in the Austrian province of Tyrol on Thursday, police said.

The four were part of a 17-member group from the Netherlands on a ski touring excursion near the renowned resort of Soelden, together with four Austrian guides.

"There are three fatalities," a police spokesman told AFP.

A fourth Dutch person was rescued and flown to hospital, according to police, who did not immediately have further details as to the victims' identities.

Avalanches are a recurring threat in Europe's mountain ranges and have claimed hundreds of lives in recent decades.

About 20 people a year have died on average over the past decade from avalanches in Austria, a top Alpine winter sports destination.