An avalanche in Italy's Dolomite mountains has killed five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl and her father, according to rescuers. The mountaineers, travelling in separate groups, were scaling Cima Vertana in the Ortler Alps at around 16:00 local time on Saturday when the fast-moving snow hit. A group of three people was fully swept away by the avalanche, and all died, said Italy's Alpine rescue service, Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico. Separately, the father and daughter were carried away by the avalanche, and their bodies were recovered on Sunday. Two other climbers in a third party survived. The alarm was raised by the survivors, triggering the rescue operation.

Olaf Reinstadler, a spokesperson for the Sulden Mountain Rescue Service, highlighted that the avalanche on the 3,545-metre (11,630ft) mountain might have been triggered by recent snow drifts that had not properly bonded to the underlying ice. He expressed concern over the timing of the climbers' ascent in the late afternoon, indicating potential hazards related to descending at night. The bodies of the trio climbing together were recovered before darkness halted further rescue operations. Although fog and low visibility initially grounded helicopters, rescuers deployed on foot once conditions improved, ultimately finding the father's and daughter's bodies later that morning.