Two avalanches in the Swiss Alps killed four skiers at the weekend, both accidents happening outside marked and secure slopes.
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Police in the eastern canton of Graubünden reported that three Germans died after being swept down 100 metres in the Flüela pass region at a height of around 2,700 metres.
A fourth German who was dragged down with them managed to free himself from the snow after several hours and raised the alarm on his mobile phone.
The 47-year-old skier was later taken to hospital in Davos suffering from frostbite and was attended by a care team.
All four skiers in the group had been wearing avalanche rescue devices.
Another skier was killed in an avalanche in the Grindelwald First region of the Bernese Oberland.
Swiss weather forecasters had earlier issued warnings of serious avalanche risks in the Alps.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.