An avalanche hit eight people who had been skiing off regular slopes at a ski resort in Hokkaido on Thursday. They are believed to be foreign tourists.

Police say one of the skiers went to seek help. They say one of the group, believed to be a French national, is in critical condition and the others have minor injuries.

The police say the eight people were skiing off-piste when they were hit by the avalanche near the resort in the village of Shimukappu.

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This is the latest in a series of accidents involving what is also known as backcountry skiing. The adventurous activity is popular among foreign tourists, but can be extremely dangerous.

In January 2019, a Danish skier was rescued by a helicopter in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, but was later pronounced dead.

In January 2018, a Japanese man died after being engulfed by an avalanche when he was snowboarding near a ski slope.