Two Britons among three dead in French Alps avalanche

Two British people and one French person have died in an avalanche in the French Alps on Friday.

The Britons were part of a group of five people accompanied by an instructor, off-piste skiing in Val d'Isère, a spokesperson for the resort told the BBC.

The French national was skiing alone, Albertville prosecutor Benoit Bachelet said in a statement.

Another British person has minor injuries, he added.

France's national weather service had issued a red alert for avalanche risk for the area on Thursday.

The ski instructor, who was unharmed, has tested negative after taking blood and drug tests, according to Bachelet.

A manslaughter investigation has also been launched by the Albertville public prosecutor's office and will be carried out by CRS Alpes mountain rescue police.