Rome: Five German mountaineers have died after being hit by an avalanche in South Tyrol, in northern Italy, rescuers say, including a man and his 17-year-old daughter.

Three victims – two men and a woman – had already been recovered dead on Saturday, while the father and daughter were found on Sunday morning (Italian time).

The mountaineers were hit by the avalanche about 4pm on Saturday (2am on Sunday AEDT) while climbing near the Cima Vertana in the Ortles mountains, at an altitude of more than 3500 metres. It is unknown why the climbers were still on their way up at this relatively late hour, rescuers said.

“They had been dragged to the lower part of the gully where the avalanche occurred,” said Alpine rescue spokesman Federico Catania. “Rescue teams are now returning to the valley,

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