Srinagar, Feb 1: Two foreigners were killed and nineteen others were rescued after being swept away by an avalanche at Affarwat peak in famed ski-resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said.

“This morning three teams comprising 21 foreign nationals and 2 local guides went to Affarwat Gulmarg for skiing. At about 12.30 pm a massive avalanche hit Hapatkhud Kangdori where these skiing teams got trapped,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.

“On receiving the information Baramulla police mobilized joint rescue teams of JKP and the tourism department and they reached the site of the avalanche,” he said, adding, “During the rescue operations, 19 foreign nationals and 2 local guides have been rescued. Unfortunately, 2 foreign nationals lost their lives in the avalanche, and their dead bodies have also been recovered and have been shifted to hospital for Medico legal procedures.”

Senior police officers are at the site monitoring the rescue operation, he said. Identity of the killed duo has not been revealed so far.