4 reported dead in Austrian Alps avalanche

BERLIN – The Austria Press Agency says four mountain climbers have been killed in an avalanche in the Austrian Alps.

The report, citing police, says the climbers were part of an eight-person ski touring group when the avalanche hit at about 12:30 p.m. (1130 GMT; 7:30 a.m. EDT) Wednesday.

Four people in the group were able to free themselves from the snow on their own and alerted rescue crews.

The avalanche came on the 2,450-meter-high (8,050-foot) Jochgrubenkopf mountain, southeast of Innsbruck, and measured about 700-meters (2,300-feet) -long with the snow depth reaching 12 metres (40 feet.)