At least five people have died after a mid-air collision between a small tourist plane and a helicopter carrying skiers to a glacier in the Italian alps, officials said today.
Rescue workers said the crash happened on Friday at an altitude of around 3,000 metres over the Rutor glacier in the north-western region of Val d'Aosta.
One person was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The cause of the crash remained unclear as rescue crews worked to remove the bodies.
The identities and nationalities of the victims have not been released.
The Rutor glacier covers nine square kilometres (3.5 square miles) and is the second-largest in the Val d'Aosta region, which borders France.
The region's website says skiers frequently access it by helicopter during winter.