Mother and Son Skiers Die in Avalanche in the French Alps: ‘A Family Is Decimated’

"It's terrible what happened. We are very sad in Saint-Gervais," said Jean-Marc Peillex, mayor of the French town Saint-Gervais

Two British skiers — identified as a mother and son — are reportedly dead after an avalanche triggered on Mont Blanc in the French Alps on Thursday, according to several sources.

The 54-year-old woman and her 22-year-old son had been skiing outside of marked resort boundaries when the avalanche occurred at around 3:30 p.m. local time, according to the BBC. Another skier was also injured due to the avalanche, Associated Press reported.

According to the BBC, the mother and son had been part of a group of five who had been on the mountain along with a guide. Only the guide had worn a locator device in the case of an avalanche.

“We are supporting the family of two British people who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities,” the British Foreign Office told AP.

Related: Skier Sustains Life-Threatening Leg Injury After Triggering Avalanche on Mount Washington

The avalanche began near the Saint-Gervais resort at an altitude of around 2,300 meters (7,546 feet), then moved about 400 meters (1,213 feet) down the mountainside, according to the outlets.

Karline Bouisset, a prosecutor in the Haute-Savoie region in France, told the BBC that about 20 first responders and two helicopters responded to the scene and after around five hours of searching, they finally found the pair “buried” in the snow and “deceased."

The administration for the Haute-Savoie region, which oversees the area, said in a statement to AP that they also rescued five others safely from the avalanche.

Related: Man Whose Family Says He Was 'Born to Ski' and Budapest Native Killed in Separate Colo. Avalanches

The avalanche may have been triggered by other skiers who had been at a higher altitude at the time, per the BBC. The administration for the Haute-Savoie region told AP that they have opened an investigation into what caused the avalanche.

Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex told BFM television, per AP, that the weather conditions were unfavorable that day, especially for outings outside of the designated ski courses.

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“It rained, it snowed, it was warm. There are enough marked paths to ski on,’’ Peillex said. ‘’It’s terrible what happened. A family is decimated, and we are very sad in Saint-Gervais.’’

Earlier this month, a New Hampshire skier sustained a life-threatening leg injury after he triggered an avalanche on Mount Washington while skiing in an area of the mountain called Airplane Gully.

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