Japanese police are looking into allegations of negligence by the organizers of a high school mountaineering trip that ended in tragedy after an avalanche killed 7 students and one teacher.

According to the Japan Times, the incident occurred when a group of students, teachers, and club members with the Tochigi prefectural high school athletic federation ventured off the slopes of Nasu Onsen Family Ski Resort to practice traveling in deep snow. They ultimately triggered a slide that would kill seven boys and one, 29 year-old teacher. An advisor to the mountaineering club said they were aware of the precarious avalanche conditions prior to going out but believed they would remain safe as long as they made conservative terrain choices.

Local reports indicate that the location at which the avalanche occurred receives significantly more snow than its neighboring terrain and is thus more likely to have instabilities within the snowpack as the weather warms. The investigation into the charges of negligence are ongoing.

Find the entire Japan Times article here: Police look to build negligence case in avalanche tragedy

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