Five climbers from South Korea fell to their deaths from a snow ledge that gave way near Vancouver, police said Sunday.

Weather conditions in the area, north of Vancouver, have been harsh and unstable since Friday.

On Saturday afternoon a hiker contacted authorities concerned because of the collapse of the cornice on the peak of Mount Harvey, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Squamish said in a statement.

"The hiker stated there were footprints leading to the summit and was concerned for the safety (of) anyone who was in the area. Squamish RCMP immediately notified the Squamish Search and Rescue and attended the scene," the statement said.

"A multi-jurisdictional search and rescue mission began but due to the instability of the snowpack search efforts were hampered last night," it added.

"It was determined that there were five hikers unaccounted for and believed to be in the area where the avalanche had occurred."

On Sunday, the bodies were found about 500 meters from the 1,600-meter Mount Harvey.

The Vancouver Sun reported that the dead were experienced climbers and South Korean nationals.

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Avalanches kill three Indian soldiers in Kashmir
Srinagar, India (AFP) April 7, 2017
Three soldiers have died after avalanches struck a high-altitude army post in Indian-administered Kashmir, an officer said Friday, after heavy snowfall in the disputed Himalayan region. Multiple avalanches hit a post in Batalik near the Line of Control - the de-facto border that divides Kashmir - on Thursday, burying five soldiers, an army spokesman said. "We launched rescue operations ... read more

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