ISTANBUL, Jan 25: An avalanche that swept down a mountain near a small winter resort killed 10 climbers in northeast Turkey on Sunday, but seven of their companions survived the crush, a government minister said.

Rescue teams worked through the afternoon to retrieve survivors and bodies from the 17-person group which had set out on a hike from the village of Zigana in mountainous Gumushane province, near Turkey’s Black Sea coast.

Orange-clad search teams and locals equipped with shovels and accompanied by dogs continued to scour the snowy slopes as the light faded.

“Unfortunately we lost 10 of our friends. Two of our friends are in hospital and five escaped without being caught by the avalanche,” Housing Minister Faruk Nafiz Ozak said after arriving at the scene.

“This is a great loss, a major incident. My condolences to our nation,” the minister said in comments broadcast on Turkish television channels.

The group belonged to a climbing club based in the neighbouring Black Sea province of Trabzon.

The avalanche occurred at around 11:15 am (0915 GMT).

—Reuters