Officials announced on Saturday that the bodies of all nine missing skiers who were killed in a devastating avalanche in California had been recovered, following days of search efforts.
The avalanche happened in the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California near Lake Tahoe, a popular skiing and winter sport destination. No more people are left missing after Tuesday’s deadly avalanche.
“While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home,” said Nevada county sheriff Shannan Moon during a news conference on Saturday afternoon.
Moon praised the collective efforts of the numerous agencies that helped recover the bodies – from the California Highway Patrol to the National Guard to the Pacific Gas and Electric utility company – and 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.
The sheriff named for the first time the three guides from Blackbird Mountain Company who died: Andrew Alissandratos, 34, Nicole Choo, 42, and Michael Henry, 30.
Saturday’s recovery of the bodies marked the end of a five-day effort to locate nine missing skiers after one of the deadliest avalanches in recent history.
On Saturday morning, officials and agencies were able to finish the rescue operations with the assistance of a Black Hawk helicopter in the snowy region. Earlier in the week, six survivors were rescued, with eight others discovered dead and one declared missing and presumed dead. Four of the bodies were recovered on Friday evening and the last five were recovered on Saturday morning.
Among those dead were six women and three professional guides. More than 40 rescuers from various local and federal agencies took part in the effort on Saturday, including the Nevada county sheriff’s office and the California highway patrol, along with the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Difficult weather and snowy conditions prevented the crews from rescuing the bodies earlier this week.
The avalanche has been the deadliest since 1981, with experts estimating the slide path was roughly the size of a football field, the AP reported.
In calls to dispatchers on Tuesday, it was reported that multiple skiers were reportedly buried by the avalanche. Later that night, rescuers and teams made contact with the six survivors and discovered others who had died. The teams were unable to recover the bodies due to brutal snowy conditions. The snow lab near Donner Pass had recorded 28in of snow that day with more expected and more avalanche risk warnings.
“I want to recognize the strength in the volunteers of all the search-and-rescue units that our agencies truly rely on,” Moon said. “They are pretty amazing people, and it’s an honor to work with them.”
The skiers had come from different parts of the US to enjoy a guided skiing tour last weekend. Their families said they were a close-knit group of friends who were experienced backcountry skiers and knew how to navigate the Sierra Nevada wilderness. The group had skied out to cabins near Frog Lake, where they stayed for two nights before starting on their return trip when the avalanche hit.
They were identified as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt, all in their 40s. They lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, Idaho and the Lake Tahoe area.
“We are devastated beyond words,” the families said in a statement. “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.”
The terrain will be off-limits to visitors until mid-March, said Chris Feutrier, forest supervisor for the Tahoe national forest. Officials intended to restore public access once the investigation is complete.
“We are investigating the incident to determine if there were any factors that would be considered criminal negligence,” said a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. “It is too early to know if criminal charges will be applicable, as the investigation is preliminary and remains active and ongoing. The district attorney’s office would ultimately be the determining authority for any criminal charges to be filed.”
