This is the buried alive moment rescuers pull a mountaineer engulfed in an avalanche from tonnes of snow and ice from a peak in Spain.

The climber and a partner had been swept away by the avalanche near the Valdezcaray ski resort on Mount San Lorenzo, in the Rioja region on 9th March.

The footage shows a Civil Guard mountain rescue team searching the deep snow for survivors.

As they find one of the climbers buried under the snow, he appears to be in serious condition as he groans as they try to dig him out.

He is later seen on a sledge stretcher being towed slowly down the slope by a snowmobile.

His climbing partner was also rescued, according to local media.

The buried climber was taken to the ski resort car park before being transferred to an ambulance and rushed to hospital.

Newsflash obtained a statement from the Spanish Civil Guard on 10th March saying: “Mountain rescue experts have rescued and saved two mountaineers swept away by an avalanche on the north face of San Pico Lorenzo (La Rioja).

Mountaineers Swept Away By Avalanche Declared Dead

“Staff from the Valdezcaray ski resort collaborated in the operation. Both were hypothermic and one of them was half buried.”

The two victims, not named but said to be aged 48 and 42 were rescued thanks to the quick actions by the mountain rescue experts and the ski resort, according to local media.

They had also been wearing GPS transponders, which made it easier to pinpoint their exact position, local media said.

One of them was seriously injured after being swept approximately 200 metres (650 feet) down the mountain by the avalanche.

Both are recovering in hospital.