In a statement, the police in the Graubunden canton said the 25-year-old ski and climbing enthusiast went missing in Pontresina, and the alarm for him was raised on Thursday.

His dead body was recovered from under the snow in Val D'Arlas after a search lasting several days involving rescue dogs and helicopters, the statement added.

According to the 20Minutes news website, the man, originally from Naples, was working in the glitzy ski resort of Saint Moritz.

Heavy snowfall has caused severe avalanche risks across swathes of the Alps, leading to the deaths of several skiers in recent weeks.