British and US tourists die skiing in French Alps

A British and an American tourist died on Sunday following separate off-piste skiing crashes in the French Alps, emergency services said.

The 50-year-old Briton suffered a cardiac arrest and multiple injuries after a heavy fall in the afternoon, ski operator Meribel Alpina said.

The accident took place in the Saulire sector in the resort of Meribel, where the world skiing championships are currently underway.

He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, local media reported.

The 21-year-old American died in the Upper Savoie mountains, with media saying he plunged 200 metres down the mountain near Chamonix.