Advertisement

Austria ski resort finds 96 foreigners in breach of coronavirus rules

Austria has found 96 foreigners - including British people - at a top ski resort in breach of travel and lockdown rules.

The people from across Europe were found in St Anton am Arlberg.

The local mayor has said dozens of young tourists had come to the town, circumventing lockdown rules under which ski lifts are open but hotels are closed to tourists.

A statement from the police force in the western province of Tyrol said: "Among others, Britons, Danes, Swedes, Romanians, Germans, Australians, Irish people and Poles were checked and fined."

Some 15 police officers were involved in the checks and fines reach up to £2,000.

Austria went into its third national lockdown on Boxing Day, with stricter border measures in place that demand arrivals go into quarantine. These restrictions were largely brought in to discourage people entering Austria for skiing breaks.

Hotels are now only open to business travellers - but St Anton's mayor Helmut Mall said some new arrivals have registered a local business address saying they are looking for work, even though there are no jobs available.