Six Germans die as drunk driver hits pedestrians in Italian Alps

Six young Germans tourists were killed when a auto hit them after they left a nightclub in the Italian Alps overnight, according to emergency services, who added that 11 others were injured.

A group of German tourists had left a nightclub shortly before the vehicle slammed into them at high speed - throwing some of them dozens of metres.

The Luttach volunteer fire service said in a Facebook post that the victims were killed at the scene.

Local media said three of those injured are in a serious condition, including a woman who was urgently transferred to a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria.

A Carabineri police official in Brunico, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Associated Press the driver had a high blood alcohol content and was driving particularly fast.

"The New Year has begun with a tragedy", South Tyrol governor Arno Kompatscher told reporters.

South Tyrol is a largely German-speaking province with a high degree of autonomy, known in particular for the Dolomites mountain chain.

The others were transported to hospitals in the region.

"These young people wanted to spend a good time together and were torn out of their lives or seriously injured from one second to the next", Laschet said.

According to reports, the victims have yet to be identified.

Emergency services of the Luttach voluntary fire brigade secure the accident site. He expressed his condolences to their families and declined to provide further details pending notification to their loved ones.