Crews have recovered the bodies of the nine backcountry skiers who were killed in an avalanche in California four days ago, authorities announced on Saturday.
According to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO), the first five individuals were recovered on the evening of Feb. 20 and the other four were recovered on the morning of Feb. 21.
The skiers were killed in the Castle Peak avalanche that occurred on Feb. 17.
“There are no words that truly capture the significance of this loss and our hearts mourn alongside the families of those affected by this catastrophic event,” said Sheriff Shannan Moon of the NCSO in a Facebook post. “The weight of this event is felt across many families, friends, and colleagues, and we stand together with them during this difficult time.”
The search efforts included California Highway Patrol air operations, Nevada County Sheriff’s search and rescue, Tahoe Nordic search and rescue, the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric, the Sierra avalanche center, and more.
STAY INFORMED: Get free Colorado news with our daily newsletter (Click here)