Two Estonian skiers die in avalanche accident in Val d'Isère

Rescue training near Briancon in the French Alps. Photo: NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP / Scanpix

Two skiers, part of a six-strong group from Estonia, died in an avalanche accident in the French Alps on Sunday.

Altogether four members of the group were buried under snow, but two were able to free themselves from the masses of snow or with the help of mountain rescuers, according to local news sources.

Le Monde reported the skiers were moving on the opposite side of Mount Cugnaï when the avalanche hit and they did not have the appropriate equipment.

After heavy snowfall, several ski resorts in France had a "high" avalanche risk on Sunday, the second-highest category four on the five-level scale.