Four snowboarders died in an avalanche on Monday near the French Alps resort of Tignes, according to local officials.
The avalanche - about 100 metres wide and 400 meters long - struck the mountain about 2,100 meters up in an off-piste sector known as Toviere.
The area is popular for its extensive slopes and stunning views.
Initial reports sowed confusion that more skiers had been caught in the disaster, but authorities said the victims had been accidentally entered into the skiing database twice.
All four fatalities - a 49-year-old instructor, a 48-year-old father, his 15-year-old son and a 19-year-old half-brother - are believed to be French but were not identified by officials by name.
They had been walking off piste - snowboards in hand - with a guide near the main Tignes slopes when the avalanche hit, Martrenchard said, adding that they were equipped with locator devices.
In this image made available by Victor Diwisch rescue personnel work at the site of an avalanche at Lavachet Wall in Tignes, France, Monday Feb. 13, 2017. Source: Victor Diwisch
Local officials said a search of the area would continue although they did not expect the death toll to rise.
An Alps Security rescue worker said the bodies of the four dead had been retrieved by early afternoon.
He said about 40 people had working on the rescue, which involved helicopters and local ski instructors.
One witness reported seeing around a hundred people at the scene as the rescue got underway.
The avalanche risk in the area was evaluated at three on a five-point scale.
Other slopes at the resort were still open on Monday.
