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3 expert skiers killed in avalanche near ski resort

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    Massive slide in Washington state

  • Duration 3:12
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It happened at the Stevens pass ski area -- that's about eighty miles north.

Of Seattle fort skier caught in the slide survived thanks to an emergency -- back.

The local sheriff's office says that there were all very experienced and carried the proper gear on.

One thing should be noted is that you know they did have a a large amount of snow last night 21 -- in this area.

Any northwest avalanche -- did forecasters say be a very high avalanche danger.

-- those here's we're aware of that.

Did have the equipment.

You know analyzes happen.

They did they they took that risk and and we're aware of it.

Adam Housley joins us live with the very latest so out of what exactly happened.

-- -- about noon yesterday it has happened to Stevens pass ski resort area very popular place for people to go in Seattle and in the surrounding areas as well.

I around noon or so these twelve expert skiers are doing some back country skiing -- just broken up into three separate groups were told.

And out.

That's when the slide began about thirty feet wide thirty feet deeper so.

Brought them down the hill the four of the skiers or were in that one group that -- slipped down the hill the other eight were on the outside watching this all take place.

Three of the men died as they got buried.

They were taken about a quarter mile or so down to a small canyon take a listen.

At 1 point after the am glad they're all buried in the snow they managed to dig themselves out of the snow.

At that point -- relay is it three of them are in distress is skewed -- distress they Begin CPR.

At the same point they're calling 911 to train get help to them.

-- this tears began CPR and three -- Unfortunately the CPR was not successful and -- C three skiers died at the scene.

Police -- that was the fourth skiers -- the females he writes for ESPN on free skiing professional.

She -- what saved her was an air -- that -- deployed its use biologic back country skiers basically.

As you know would have liked -- -- -- season that coming you is in your backpack you do you deploy this thing and it helps keep you above in the snow says he was buried except for.

Her head in her hands isn't able to dig yourself -- try to help save the others unfortunately for them the other three you've you've heard dot seen -- Incredible technology.

As far as the avalanche is how common are -- day in this area.

-- you know we've been doing some research here in the last -- them -- -- the whole country looking at the numbers of avalanche is number of people that have died since 1950 years so.

Alito this year -- seventeen deaths have been due to avalanche is not of those years about 25 people on average die every year.

Of course the back country the most common places -- -- either been 900 deaths only have thirty of those were so were within ski boundary resorts.

Now here's what the problem is -- you you have a situation like this in -- in the west when you have too much snow -- you have the opposite this year we've had the opposite would really had a warm winter here.

They've had a recent snowfall than they had some warmer weather that's what causes the avalanche is there -- they weren't sure there was because these twelve.

Were in the area disturb the snow or from van at a nearby a road may have caused this but that's part of the investigation Julie while incredible.

Adam Housley thank -- so.

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