Two skiers died and five others were injured on Saturday when an avalanche rumbled down on them in the Italian Alps, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, the mountain rescue service said.

The service's operation centre received an alert around midday that a dozen skiers were caught up in the avalanche, a spokesman said.

"Six helicopters were dispatched," and nearby hospitals were notified, he said.

The avalanche happened at an altitude of around 7,874 feet on the slopes of the 8,757-foot Hohe Ferse near the town of Ratschings, close to the border with Austria, the Associated Press reported.

Dozens of rescue personnel, as well as firemen and law enforcement, participate in the search-and-rescue effort.

A total of 25 skiers were on the mountainside where the avalanche occurred, but most had escaped the brunt of the slide of snow, rocks and ice.

A few days ago, in the same region, a Polish man was killed by an avalanche.

The avalanche warning given for the region on Saturday evaluated the danger as between low and moderate.

Europe has been hit by a string of avalanches this winter. Last month, at least five people, including an American, were killed in a string of avalanches in western Austria. Three avalanches across Austria killed eight skiers in Jan., authorities said. Six skiers died in France after being caught in avalanches in various Alpine resorts.

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