2 off-piste skiers missing in avalanche near Mont Blanc

Two surviving skiers sounded the alarm shortly after the 1 p.m. avalanche on Val Veny, above Courmayeur.

Mayor Roberto Rota says the chances of finding the skiers alive was slim given the amount of time that had passed.

Rota suggested the four skiers were amateurs who hadn’t gone up with a guide or proper avalanche safety equipment.