The group was skiing in the Austria Alps when tragedy struck. Picture: AFP/APA/Zeitungsfoto.at

The tragedy occurred about 12.30pm Wednesday (10.30pm Wednesday AEDT) near the Jochgrubenkopf peak at 2450 metres above sea level.

The avalanche, which hit southeast of Innsbruck, measured about 700-metres-long with the snow depth reaching 12 metres.

Mountain rescue personnel scour the Jochgrubenkopf mountain, southeast of Innsbruck in Austria. Picture: Daniel Liebl/zeitungsfoto.at via APSource:AP

The Austria Press Agency reports four members of the group were able to free themselves and alert rescue crews. The remaining four died in the avalanche and were pulled from the snow by rescue workers.

“Four from the group survived and were rescued by helicopter,” Sabine Reinthaler, spokeswoman in Tyrol state, told AFP earlier on Wednesday.

Police did not reveal the nationalities of the victims, saying their relatives were being informed first. Local reports said the ski group was visiting from Switzerland.

A total of 267 people died in the Austrian Alps last year, down from an average of 297 over the past 10 years, including 17 in avalanches, according to the Austrian Alpine safety board.

Helicopters search the mountains after an avalanche engulfed a tour group of eight in western Austria. Picture: AFP/APA/Zeitungsfoto.atSource:AFP