At least six people have been killed in an avalanche near the French ski resort of Chamonix.
The avalanche occurred on Mont Maudit, which is the third highest peak in the Mont Blanc massif range.
Colonel Bertrand Francois, commander of the gendarmerie of the Haute-Savoie, said of the missing: "This does not mean they are under the avalanche."
The dead include two Swiss nationals, two Germans and two Spaniards.
The injured and dead are thought to be climbers who had been roped together in several groups when the avalanche struck, the BBC said.
It is understood 28 climbers from several countries were taking part in the expedition at the time.
Police said they were alerted at around 5.25am local time to the avalanche.
Several dozen gendarmes and other rescuers along with two helicopters worked to pull the six dead and six injured from the mountain.
The injured climbers were taken to hospital.
Mont Maudit is 4,465m high and part of the Mont Blanc range. It means Cursed Mountain in French.
The area is one of the most popular with climbers in the Alps.