By Catherine Nicholls, CNN
(CNN) — The bodies of five skiers have been found on a glacier near the Swiss mountain of Rimpfischhorn, police announced on Sunday.
The bodies were found after two other skiers raised the alarm on Saturday, saying that they had seen skis at the foot of the summit of the mountain, but had not come across the owners of them, the police statement said.
A rescue helicopter with medical professionals on board immediately flew over the area and the five bodies were “quickly discovered,” the statement continued.
Three of the bodies were found some 500 meters (roughly 1640 ft) from where the skis were located, Swiss broadcaster Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) reported. Air Zermatt, the helicopter company that carried out the search flight, said that the three bodies were found on an avalanche cone.
The two other bodies were found nearly 200 meters (roughly 656 ft) higher, on a small, snow-covered area, Air Zermatt added.
Formal identification of the victims is ongoing. The Attorney General has opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the accident, police said.
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CNN’s Eve Brennan and Jonny Hallam contributed to this report.
