Dramatic moment family are rescued from SNOW CAVE they dug up mountain after sending Facebook message to say they had been lost for 12 hours in -10C

AN AUSTRALIAN family have been found after a mother send a Facebook message saying they were lost and had to spend a night in a snow cave.

A rescue operation was launched for a mother and her three sons after they failed to return from the mountain at the Nozawa Onsen ski resort near Japan on Monday evening as temperatures dropped to -10C.




Images of the family wrapped up in warm blankets and being walked to safety were broadcast by a Japanese television broadcaster.

Police have said one of the skiers contacted a family member on Facebook to say they were stranded.

Nozawa Onsen confirmed at around 8.15am local time that the lost family had been found.

In a Facebook post it said: "The missing family has been found up the top of the mountain.

"Have just gotten off the phone with the head of Nozawa Ski Patrol and all members are fine.

"Everyone is relieved to hear."

The family dug a hole in the snow and sat inside it, it has been reported.

Police spokesman Yuichiro Miyasaka said the four appeared to be unhurt, but were taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

It was not known whether they knowingly skiing outside the designated areas, which some skiers do to try unbeaten tracks.

Police have cautioned against going off course because of a growing number of accidents and searches.

A rescue official said the four were shivering a lot when they were found.

"They don't seem to have carried any food or supplies, so I believe they had a rough night," the official, whose name was not given, told public broadcaster NHK and other TV stations.

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Rescuers had to postpone their search on Monday evening as temperatures plummeted but it resumed the next morning.

Australian officials confirmed it was in contact with local authorities in Japan.

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort boasts an altitude of 1,085 meters.

It also has 50km of slopes for skiers to explore.



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