A 13-year-old boy has died after falling from a cliff in the French Alps while his 10-year-old brother survived, authorities say.

The local gendarmerie said overnight searches by about 30 police and mountain rescue officers led to discovering the children early on Sunday at the foot of a 150-metre cliff in a forest at the Avoriaz ski resort.

Local media reported the children’s father called police on Saturday afternoon after the brothers, who were skiing alone, failed to show up.

The younger brother has been taken to the Thonon-les-Bains hospital. Police say his condition is not life-threatening.

The children were on a family holiday in Avoriaz, near the border with Switzerland.