An avalanche recorded in a mountainous area of Kittitas County, in the center of the state of Washingtonleft two men dead and two others surviving. The accident occurred amid heavy snowfall that has affected the region for the past week.
The accident occurred in a remote mountain area
The victims were identified as Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The two were snowmobiling near Longs Pass, in the northern mountains of the county, around 4:00 p.m. on Friday, when they were surprised by an avalanche whose cause is still unknown.
Two companions managed to survive
Markoff and Henne were not alone at the time of the incident. Two other people who accompanied them survived and managed to activate an emergency satellite device.which allowed the authorities to be alerted.
The distress signal mobilized the sheriff’s office and volunteer search and rescue teams from Kittitas County, who traveled to the area using snowmobiles and specialized equipment for extreme winter conditions.
Limited rescue due to dangerous conditions
According to the sheriff’s office in a statement, crews managed to rescue the two survivors that same night, but it was not possible to recover the bodies of the victims due to the dangerous terrain conditions and the risk of new avalanches.
“Due to the dangerous conditions, a night rescue operation for the deceased was not carried out,” the authority said.
Work resumed Saturday, when crews returned to the area and airlifted the bodies to a search base, where they were placed in the custody of the Kittitas County Coroner’s Office.
Snowmobiles and belongings recovered
During the operation The personal belongings of the four men were also recovered, including two snowmobiles.the sheriff’s office reported.
“The Sheriff’s Office and search and rescue teams express their condolences to the families and friends of the deceased,” the institution said.
Heavy snowfall increases the risk in the mountains
The accident occurred against a backdrop of heavy snowfall that has affected Washington state since the beginning of the week. According to the National Weather Service in Seattle, 86 centimeters of snow were recorded on Mount Baker, while 63 centimeters were reported at Stevens Pass.
Weather officials warned that more snow is expected in the coming days, especially in the Olympic Mountains and the northern Cascade Range, along with rain that could cause flooding along the Skokomish River.
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