Final body found after fatal avalanche in Switzerland

GENEVA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Local police in Swiss canton of Valais said Friday that rescuers had found the body of the fourth and final person who went missing after being swept away by an avalanche in a ski area six weeks ago.

The incident took place on March 21 in the Vallon d'Arbi region near to Riddes in canton Valais, near the popular Verbier ski resort in the French-speaking part of southwest Switzerland. Two other skiers caught up in the avalanche managed to free themselves, according to police.

The body of the final victim was a Swiss man aged 57. Search efforts had been officially stopped on March 21, but intermittent searches had been carried out since then, police said. The body, found on Thursday, was transported by helicopter to Sion.

The three other victims, all French and aged between 20 and 30 years old, were found days after the accident covered in six meters of snow.

Switzerland experienced unusually high levels of snow this winter, which has raised avalanche warnings to the maximum alert in several areas.

Earlier this year, thousands of tourists were cut off in the popular resort of Zermatt, as the risk of avalanches twice forced the authorities to close of rail and road links. The resorts of Saas-Fee and Andermatt were also snowed in for a period. Enditem