Two people caught in an avalanche in Switzerland were rescued after their barking dogs alerted nearby snowshoers..
The snowshoers were able to dig out the two hikers after the avalanche swept them off a hiking trail.
The avalanche happened in the Avers Valley in southwestern Switzerland near the border with Italy in an area west of St. Moritz.
“Their dogs, who were not buried by the masses of snow, drew attention to themselves by barking loudly,” according to a statement from Rega, the air ambulance service.
The dogs attracted the attention of a group of snow-shoers who were some distance away in the same valley but had not witnessed the avalanche.”
About 15-20 minutes after the avalanche, the group was at the scene, where one of the avalanche victims’ hands was visible; the other person was buried entirely, Rega said.
Both were dug out slightly injured and with mild hypothermia. Rega then flew them by helicopter to hospital.
