Nine Bodies Recovered in Deadly Sierra Nevada Avalanche, Officials Say

Searchers recovered the bodies of nine skiers killed in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe, authorities said Saturday. Lieutenant Dennis Haack of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said a ninth missing person was found Friday, alongside four others, and four additional victims were recovered Saturday morning.

“While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home,” said Shannan Moon, the sheriff. The avalanche struck on Tuesday around 11:30 a.m. and covered an area about the size of a football field, becoming the deadliest in modern California history.

The victims were part of a 15-person group, including four professional guides, finishing a three-day backcountry trek through Castle Peak in a remote part of the Sierra Nevada. Recovery operations began Friday after crews reduced the risk of further avalanches and deemed conditions safe to enter the site.

United States, Sierra Nevada

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