Avalanche kills 5 soldiers during French Alps training

Four other soldiers were injured when they were swept away, and two are being treated for hypothermia.

According to the BBC, search dogs and helicopter were used to look for the soldiers who belonged to the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment.

Police in Lyon are expected to handle the investigation into the accident and Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit the scene on Tuesday.

The group of about 50 men were skiing at an altitude of around 2,000 metres (6,500 feet).

French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the events to see whether the probe should be handed over to military authorities.

The unit experienced a similar tragedy in 2012 when an avalanche swept away five of its members, leaving one dead.

Julien Noel, director of the ski area, said the location where the avalanche hit is well-known for backcountry skiing and normally is not known as particularly unsafe.

An avalanche in the French alps on January 13 killed two teenagers and a Ukrainian adult skier.