Paris, 19 April 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Two people have been killed by falling masses of glacial ice near Mont Blanc in the French Alps.

According to the responsible prefecture, which is based in Annecy, large pieces of glacier ice came loose on Wednesday. Another person was slightly injured in the accident. Four people survived unharmed.

The two victims were buried under the ice, according to the news website France Info. The hikers had wanted to climb Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc, also known as Monte Bianco in Italian, and in German Weißer Berg, is the highest mountain in the Alps.

Photo: MIA archive