Bodies of five skiers were found near the Zermatt resort in Switzerland

The bodies of five skiers were found by rescuers near the luxurious Zermatt resort in Switzerland.

They were recovered a day after an emergency services alerted by a group of climbers who ascended Rimpfischhorn – a peak of 4,199 meters in the Alps in Valis – to several pairs of skis without observation near the summit.

The local Valis police said in a statement on Sunday that the air and ground search operations led to the discovery of the bodies below the summit in the Edler ice.

The victims were found at varying altitudes on the wreckage of the collapse in high altitude areas near the Italian Swiss border.

Air Service Air Zermatt said three bodies were discovered in one area and two others were discovered on a narrow patch of snow.

A fifth pair of skis was found later during the search, confirming that the group traveled as a five -year -old party. Their identities were not officially released.

The Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

In a separate incident on Friday night, Air Zermatt also participated in a difficult mountainous rescue operation in Fieschorhörner, where they were cut by four albums in fog and strong winds.

It was necessary to thwart the initial evacuation attempt by the weather, but a second attempt immediately after midnight brought the four to safety.