Three skiers have been killed in a tragic avalanche near the Winter Olympics in Italy this weekend.
The tragic avalanches happened near where the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games are taking place. One skier was killed after two avalanches hit the Marmolada area in the Dolomites, which is not far from Cortina d'Ampezzo, where the women's alpine skiing is taking place. Elsewhere, in Albosaggia, a village in the lower Valtellina valley, close to where the men's alpine is taking place, two skiers were killed in an avalanche.
A potential fourth victim could be dead, as well.
"The Alpine rescue service said it had no confirmation yet of a potential fourth victim in Trentino Alto Adige, where local media have reported that a man injured in an earlier avalanche died in hospital," the report states.
"Heavy snowfall in the Alps in recent days has caused several avalanches. Earlier this week, another avalanche in the Trentino Alto Adige region killed two Finnish skiers."
Areas of Italy have been flagged a marked risk of avalanches for Sunday, according to AINEVA, Italy's snow and avalanche risks association.
Our thoughts are with the friends and family members of everyone impacted by these awful tragedies.
May the victims rest in peace.