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A rescue mission is under way to reach several people buried in an avalanche on the Eiger mountain in the Swiss Alps, local police say.

The north face of the Eiger is famous among mountaineers and it has a reputation as one of the world's most challenging climbs.

Just half an hour's drive from my house in Bern is a ski resort once so popular it was dubbed "Little Grindelwald", after its more famous Alpine near-neighbour at the foot of the Eiger.

Mr Roche was midway through a two-week camping and hiking trip when he lost contact on the Eiger Trail.

His last picture was sent from about halfway down the Eiger Trail, a popular walking route, on the afternoon of 22 June.