The avalanche on Mont Maudit, near the resort of Chamonix, happened on Thursday morning. The other casualties included two Spaniards, a German and a Swiss. In total, four climbers are still missing and a rescue operation to find them is underway.
Nine people who were also injured in the avalanche have been flown to hospital by helicopter.
The 28 climbers are thought to have set off from a hut early in the morning. Some were travelling with experienced guides and some were climbing independently. The route is a popular approach to Mont Blanc.
‘We had no more reason than usual to be alarmed,’ Chamonix Mayor Hean-Louis Verdier told Reuters news agency. ‘It's a steep mountain face. There are big plates of snow where an avalanche can easily occur. But this morning we had no reason to expect an avalanche of this size and such a tragedy.’
French authorities said the avalanche was the most deadly in recent years.
The climbers have not been named and the Foreign Office has launched a helpline for those worried about friends and family – the number is 0207 008 1500.
