The New Zealand woman killed in an avalanche in the Italian Alps has been identified as originally coming from Dunedin. The Guardian reports that Ms Clarke was identified by Italian rescuers alongside Matthew Ziegler, 43, Nicolas Bruno Vergez, 36, and Wespazjan Wisla, 38. The Telegraph reported the group were believed to have been engulfed by an avalanche, near Courmayeur, and buried under 1.8m of snow. An MFAT spokeswoman said the New Zealand Embassy in Rome was providing assistance to the family of a New Zealand citizen who has been killed in an avalanche near Courmayeur in Italy. It was a tragic weekend for fatalities in the Alps, according to the Telegraph, with at least nine people losing their lives - including the four struck by the avalanche near Courmayeur.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 04, 2019 19:33 UTC