Two people were killed and one was injured as a result of an avalanche in the ski resort of Hokkaido, The Japan Times reports.
According to Hokkaido police, around 11 a.m. on March 11, the Kutchan Fire Department received a call that three members of a group of six skiers had been caught in an avalanche on Mount Yeti.
Two people, presumably foreign tourists — a man and a woman — were taken to hospital in an unconscious state, where they later died.
Another skier suffered a shoulder injury that is not life-threatening.
According to the Sapporo Regional Meteorological Observatory, there was no heavy snowfall in the area of Mount Yetei on the day of the tragedy, which reduced the risk of avalanches to a minimum.
The police and fire department are investigating the circumstances of the incident.