Mont Blanc

A British man and his 12-year-old son who got lost hiking in the Alps have been found dead, apparently after falling down a crevasse.

French police said the father, 48, called emergency services at about 2pm on Saturday 16 March from near Mont Blanc. He said that his son had fallen hundreds of feet down a crevasse but did not know their exact location, the BBC reports.

The pair had taken a route that is popular during summer, but highly treacherous in the snowy winter months.

Rescuers attempted to trace the man's call and sent out search parties, which found both bodies early on Sunday morning.

Authorities believe the father fell down the cliff while trying to climb down and rescue his son.

The pair have not been named. The Foreign Office has been informed of the deaths.