The recovery of the bodies of three helicopter skiers who were killed in an avalanche near Girwood, Alaska on Tuesday has been put on hold until conditions improve.
The victims have been identified as David Linder (39, Florida), Charles Eppard (39, Montana) and Jeremy Leif (38, Minnesota) Alaska State Troopers have issued a statement that the victims are between 40 and 100 feet deep in avalanche debris.
After an aerial and ground survey, Alaska State Troopers have determined that the recovery effort will take significant time and current conditions are not safe enough to conduct the operation.
“The team has reached the consensus that recovery efforts are unfortunately not possible until conditions improve that allow for the safety of rescue teams who will need to spend significant time in the area.”
The men were skiing with Chugach Powder Guides at the time of the avalanche. Our thoughts are with the victims’ families and friends.
Alaska Department of Public Safety, State Troopers Public Information Office:
Yesterday, Troopers, avalanche experts, and a technical mountain rescue expert conducted an aerial and on-the-ground assessment of the slide area and location where the three avalanche beacons last signaled.
The beacons last signal indicated they were buried between 40 feet and nearly 100 feet deep at the bottom of a steep section of terrain. Due to a high risk of additional avalanches and the challenging location where the bodies of the three men are believed to be buried – the team has reached the consensus that recovery efforts are unfortunately not possible until conditions improve that allow for the safety of rescue teams who will need to spend significant time in the area.
The State Troopers and the heliski operator will continue to evaluate conditions to determine when it is safe to allow rescue teams to operate in this area, recognizing that it may take some time for conditions to improve.
We know that this is not the solution that the loved ones of these men were looking for today; however, it is the safest path forward for everyone involved
