PARIS, Rabi'II 03, 1437, January 13, 2016, SPA -- An avalanche in the French Alps struck a high school ski group Wednesday afternoon, killing at least three people, according to French officials, AP reported. France's National Gendarmerie said a search-and-rescue operation was launched in the Deux Alpes ski resort using sniffer dogs and a helicopter. French authorities in the Alps region confirmed that two high school students and a Ukrainian skier died in the accident, which took place on a ski trail that had been closed amid avalanche warnings. --SPA 22:18 LOCAL TIME 19:18 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w