3 skiers missing after getting caught in large avalanche in Colorado. Originally 4 people were fully buried by the snow, although one person was later found with minor injuries.
The following written content from Joelle Goldstein
A search is underway for three skiers who went missing after “a large avalanche” struck a Colorado mountain, according to officials.
A preliminary report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) stated that the incident occurred on Monday and involved a group of seven backcountry skiers.
The group was traveling between the towns of Silverton and Ophir, near an area locally known as The Nose, when a “large avalanche” was triggered on a northeast-facing slope around 11,500 feet in elevation, according to the report.
CAIC officials said four of the seven skiers were “caught, carried, and fully buried in the debris,” but the group later recovered one of them with minor injuries.
However, the other three skiers were never found, which prompted search and rescue operations to start and carry into the night, the report stated.
RELATED: 3 Skiers Killed in Colorado Avalanches as Experts Warn Area Is ‘Especially Dangerous’ This Year
On Tuesday evening, search efforts were suspended due to “an avalanche hazard,” according to the CAIC, which also shared a photo of the overview of the accident site.
The San Juan County Office of Emergency Management confirmed in a Facebook statement that the recovery mission was paused due to “considerable danger” and “hazardous conditions.”
“Due to the unstable snowpack, we are experiencing natural and mitigated avalanche activity,” the statement read. “Therefore, the recovery mission of the three missing skiers was suspended until the avalanche conditions are stable and first responders can re-enter the dangerous terrain of the avalanche accident site.”
By Wednesday, search and rescue teams were able to continue on with their recovery efforts, the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management announced.
According to San Juan County officials, the identity of the three skiers is still pending per the San Juan County Coroner’s Office investigation.
While they continue search efforts, Colorado authorities are reminding people about the risks of avalanches — similar to how they did back in December after a series of avalanches killed three skiers in Colorado over a singular weekend. Read more from People
