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(Image: FRANCE BLEU ISERE)

Three others are said to be seriously injured after the 100-metre snow slide at Les Deux Alpes – a resort popular with Brits.

It is believed that 10 secondary school kids and their skiing teacher were hit by the avalanche at 4pm (local time).

Reports suggest that the group was on the Bellecombe ski run – which was apparently closed – when disaster struck.

(Image: FRANCE BLEU ISERE)

All of the group have now been accounted for, including one who was found unconscious and four in cardiac arrest.

Two of the dead have been confirmed as a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old pupil, while the other was an adult Ukrainian not with the group.

Authorities now fear that the Ukrainian's presence means the school group were not alone on the "difficult" ski run.

Didier Bobillier, director of the ski resort, said: “We are all shocked at this drama. Teams are still on the ground to be sure no one else is in the avalanche.

“They are searching centimetre by centimetre.

“The piste had been closed since the start of the season because of the lack of snow.

"The security of the clients could not be assured.

“The piste was closed. It was indicated that it was closed. But you cannot forbid people, it is impossible to stop people in such a large ski area. We need to continue and inform and educate that the mountain is a dangerous place."

(Image: GETTY)

French President Francois Hollande has sent his condolences to those close to the victims.

He said in a statement that the French education minister is on his way to Lyon, the home city of the affected high schoolers.

He is expected to arrive in the coming hours to "support the school community and the families."

(Image: STAR)

Two rescue helicopters, a police helicopter and search dogs are understood to be at the scene.

Up to 100 people are believed to be scouring the frozen landscape for the missing children.

"It is now pitch black, and conditions are becoming more and more perilous," said a source at the resort. "The chances of surviving under mounds of snow are very low."

(Image: GETTY)

They said the ski run was considered 'extremely perilous' at the time.

It had closed after several days of heavy snowfall and the avalanche warning level was four out of five.

"It's dangerous enough when open," they said, "but nobody should have been anywhere near it today."

(Image: GETTY)

The students came from the Lycee Saint-Exupery school in Lyon, the avalanche helpline confirmed.

Located 30 miles from the Italian border, the Deux Aples resort has been hit by heavy snowfall in recent weeks.

It comes a week after two tourist were killed by an avalanche will ski'ing at the Val d'Isere resort.