Two have died and one injured after a block of ice fell from a glacier on Mont Blanc.
The climbers were on the Petit Plateau on the north face of the mountain – which is a regularly used route.
Ice falls are a natural phenomenon and can happen any time and it’s highly unpredictable, say experts.
Rescuers launched a major operation to recover the bodies and help the injured. The police point out they operated within the danger area.
The identity of the victims has not been released.