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MILLCREEK, Utah – Four skiers have died after an avalanche in Millcreek Canyon.
Unified Police said they received a “weak” distress call at around 11:40 am Saturday. Despite poor cell phone reception in the area, they were able to determine that the slide had occurred in the Wilson Glade area in Wilson Fork. It is also near the Alexander Basin and the Gobblers Button.
The UPD later confirmed that four of the skiers were dead and four more were alive. All eight had avalanche beacons.
READ: Utah avalanche forecasters warn of backcountry danger this weekend
The medical status of the survivors was not immediately available, but officials say they may have widened. The surviving skiers were also able to locate and unearth the other four, but they were already dead.
Search and rescue teams from several agencies are working to recover the bodies in a way that will not further put crews at risk of getting caught in another avalanche.
The names of the victims have not yet been released.
“We are saddened by the tragic news of four deaths as a result of an avalanche in the Millcreek Canyon area this afternoon,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson wrote in a statement. “We deeply mourn the loss of life due to this devastating incident.”
The incident is the first fatal avalanche in Salt Lake County this winter season. There were two more last month in the Park City backcountry: skier in the Square Top district and one snowboarder in Dutch Draw, respectively.
Governor Spencer Cox also released a statement, writing on Twitter:
- “This is a terrible tragedy and our prayers go out to the victims and families involved. We are grateful to the first responders and to all who were involved in this rescue and recovery effort. The avalanche danger being high in this regard. moment, be extremely careful. “
The Utah Avalanche Center reports that an avalanche was triggered remotely in the same general area just a day before. No one was caught in it.
This story is in development and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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