More than 50 people were involved in the rescue operations at an altitude of 1,800 meters (nearly 6,000 feet), rescue official Florin Vintila told AFP.

Three other skiers who survived the accident were safe near the town of Predeal, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital Bucharest.

The five were taking part in a competition organized by Romania's mountaineering federation when they were hit by the avalanche, said to have been the largest in 30 years.

TERRA.WIRE