Five cross-country skiers have died in the Swiss Alps as the mountains were hit with heavy snow and high winds.

Three of the dead are brothers, according to Swiss reports. Rescuers are searching for a sixth person who they hope may have survived.

The five dead were found on Sunday evening “without any signs of life”, police from the Swiss canton of Valais said.

It is not clear whether they were hit by an avalanche or got into trouble as a result of the extreme weather.

Rescuers had to battle heavy snow, strong winds, low visibility and the risk of avalanches.

The skiers were found near the Col de la Tete Blanche, at around 3,500m.

The group, all of whom are believed to be Swiss and aged between 21 and 58, had been missing since Saturday, sparking a huge search and rescue operation.

They had set off from the Swiss resort town of Zermatt and were on a ski tour heading for Arolla, which lies on the border between Switzerland and Italy.

The route they took is part of the famous Haute Route that leads from Zermatt to Chamonix.

Several of the group were said to be expert cross-country skiers and had been preparing for a race, Patrouille des Glaciers or the Patrol of the Glaciers, which takes place next month.

The alarm was raised by a relative who had been waiting for the group to arrive in Arolla on Saturday afternoon. A phone call made by a member of the group at around 5pm on Saturday enabled rescuers to pinpoint their location.