At least six hikers were killed and eight injured after a section of ice collapsed off a mountain in the northeastern Italian Alps and tumbled down a popular hiking route.
Several people are reported still missing after the avalanche on Sunday rolled down the Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites. Five helicopters and several teams with search dogs have been dispatched to the area, while rescued hikers have been taken to nearby hospitals.
According to local experts, the avalanche came amid higher than average regional temperatures, recording above 10 degrees Celsius at the top of the glacier the day before the incident.