A father has died in hospital after he and his son were swept away by an avalanche on a Swiss mountain.

The man was travelling with his wife and their two adult sons from San Bernardino, in the Swiss canton of the Grisons, to the area of Pass dei Omenit on Sunday morning (11th December).

The couple were reportedly experienced skiers.

But shortly before they reached their destination at 2,651 metres (8,698 feet) above sea level, an avalanche was triggered beneath the feet of the father and one of his sons.

The two men were carried a distance of some 150 metres (492 feet). But while the son was able to free himself from the snow, his father remained completely buried.

He was located by his other family members via his emergency locator beacon, but they were unable to recover him on their own.

Rescue and emergency workers were then dispatched to the scene via helicopter to free him from the snow and treat him.

He was taken to University Hospital Zurich in a critical condition and sadly passed away in the afternoon at the age of 56.

His name has been withheld in reports.

Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the Grisons are investigating the incident.