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Two skiers have died and several others have been injured after a powerful avalanche swept across a busy high-altitude slope in northern Italy, rescue officials have confirmed. The disaster struck on Saturday morning in the South Tyrol region, at an altitude of around 2,400 metres on the slopes of Hohe Ferse, also known as Monte Tallone Grande, near the town of Ratschings close to the Austrian border.

Italy's mountain rescue service said around 25 skiers were caught in the slide. Two people were killed, while three others suffered serious injuries and two more were left with minor wounds. The condition of the remaining skiers remains unclear, although Italian news agency ANSA reported that most were only grazed by the avalanche and not fully buried under the snow.

Rescuers described the avalanche as large in scale, with a front stretching around 150 metres and a length of several hundred metres as it tore down the mountainside.

A major emergency response was launched, involving six helicopters and around 80 personnel, including alpine rescue teams, police, firefighters and sniffer dogs. Crews worked for hours searching the snow for anyone trapped beneath the debris.

The incident is the latest in a series of deadly avalanches across Europe during what experts say has been an unusually dangerous winter season.

According to the European Avalanche Warning Services, 127 people had died in avalanches across the continent by mid March, significantly higher than the annual average of around 100. Italy, France and Austria have been among the hardest hit countries.

Experts have attributed the spike in incidents to unstable snow conditions following heavy snowfall, combined with a rise in skiers venturing onto off piste terrain. Changing weather patterns, including rising temperatures and strong winds, have also been cited as contributing factors.

Despite the avalanche risk in the Ridanna Valley, where the incident occurred, being classified as moderate, authorities have urged caution for those heading into high alpine areas.

Investigations into the exact cause of the avalanche are ongoing.