Crews recover bodies of nine skiers killed in a California avalanche
A break in the weather has allowed the recovery of the bodies of the nine backcountry skiers who were killed in a California avalanche this week.
Authorities confirm the bodies of all nine off-piste skiers have been recovered, following an avalanche in California on Tuesday.
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The incident took place on Castle Peak in Sierra Navadas last Tuesday, but the bodies weren't able to be repatriated until yesterday due to bad weather.
However, following a break in the weather, rescue teams were able to recover all nine bodies, following days of searching.
Among those who've died were three guides and six women skiing together.
Six additional skiers survived the tragedy near Lake Tahoe, which is a popular skiing and winter sport destination.
No more people are left missing after Tuesday’s deadly avalanche, which was the deadliest since 1981 - with experts estimating the slide path was roughly the size of a football field.
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Speaking about the body retrieval, Nevada county sheriff Shannan Moon praised the efforts of the numerous agencies that helped recover the bodies – including California Highway Patrol, the National Guard and the the Pacific Gas and Electric utility company.
There were also 42 volunteers who helped on the last day of the operation.
“We are fortunate in this mountain community that we are very tight-knit, and our community shows up in times of tragedy,” Moon said.
Three guides who died, all from Blackbird Mountain Company, were named as Andrew Alissandratos, 34, Nicole Choo, 42, and Michael Henry, 30.
The six female skiers who died - Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt - were a close-knit group of friends in their 40s.
They were experienced backcountry skiers, who knew how to navigate the Sierra Nevada wilderness, and had come from different parts of the US to enjoy a guided skiing tour last weekend.
Their families said they were "devastated beyond words" at the news.
“Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women. They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors.”
Chris Feutrier, forest supervisor for the Tahoe national forest, said the terrain will be off-limits to visitors until mid-March.