A British mother and her son are believed to be dead after an avalanche struck while they were skiing off-piste in the French Alps.

The avalanche was triggered yesterday afternoon in the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski area.

The mum and son were out with an instructor when they were buried by the deluge of snow.

The French regional government confirmed in a statement a search and rescue operation was underway.

The avalanche happened in the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski area.

A spokesperson from the Haute-Savoie regional government said: "An avalanche 400m long occurred this Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 3:30 p.m., in the off-piste area, at an altitude of 2,300 meters and near the Mont-Joly chairlift located in the Mont-Joly ski area. Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, involving eight people.

"A major search and rescue system was immediately deployed by the emergency services. slopes of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, reinforced and commanded by the high-level gendarmerie platoon mountain (PGHM) of Chamonix.

"The final report shows two victims dead, one lightly injured and five other people unhurt."

Dozens of mountain rescuers set out to search for skiers trapped in the investigation.

Speaking to BFM television, Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex said the weather conditions were too unstable for such risky outings.

Mayor Peillex said: "It rained, it snowed, it was warm. There are enough marked paths to ski on.

"It’s terrible what happened. A family is decimated, and we are very sad in Saint-Gervais."