Emergency responders in Idaho rescued two men caught in an avalanche, but a third man is believed to have died, authorities said early Friday.
The Shoshone County Sheriff's Office received a Garmin GPS alert for a fatal avalanche crash near Stevens Peak in Shoshone County, Idaho, near the Montana border, at approximately 2:53 p.m. Thursday. officials announced that they had received the message and began rescue operations. .
The men were rescued several miles southwest of Lookout Peak Ski Area, more than 90 miles from Missoula, Montana.
“We were able to establish communications with two of them through GPS texting devices. Through this communication we were able to locate two of the three men and their last known location. “We have located the two men and we have located them. We are able to bring them back for medical treatment.” said the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office.
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The Shoshone County Sheriff's Office received an alert about the avalanche and began rescue efforts Thursday at approximately 2:53 p.m. (Shoshone County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
The Shoshone County Sheriff's Office coordinated the rescue effort with the U.S. Air Force, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, Silver Valley Search and Rescue, and Silver Mountain Ski Patrol.
According to the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office, the third man caught in the avalanche is believed to be dead at this time and the search effort has been called off. Authorities will begin efforts to recover the body from Friday, January 12th.
“While debriefing the two men, we received information that led us to believe that a third man had died at the scene of the avalanche. As a result of this information, to ensure the safety of all involved, we have concluded the search operation tonight. I did,” he said. said the office.
The avalanche occurred a day after the season's first avalanche fatality was reported in California. (AP Photo/Andy Barron)
Authorities are not releasing the victim's name at this time.
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An avalanche warning had been in effect for the area for several days, but authorities did not say what the three men were doing in the area. Officials said the site had a high, steep slope and was affected by snowfall and strong winds at the time of the avalanche.
According to the Ski Enthusiast website, Stevens Peak is a popular destination for mountaineering, hiking and cross-country skiing.
Four people were trapped in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe Wednesday morning. (Mark Sponsorer, via AP)
The avalanche occurred a day after the first avalanche fatality of the season was reported in California.
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Four people were trapped in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe Wednesday morning. One person died.
A second avalanche occurred in the same area near Lake Tahoe on Thursday, but no casualties were reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
