Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands was in a critical but stable condition at an intensive care unit in an Innsbruck hospital after being buried by an avalanche in Austria, the Dutch government said on Friday.

The Austrian Press Agency reported that he had been buried for 15 minutes before rescue.

The Dutch royal family often spends winter holidays in Lech in the western province of Vorarlberg.

The 43-year-old prince is the middle son of Queen Beatrix.