Avalanche kills skier in Alaska; Japan ski resort also hit by slide

By Published On: January 4th, 2006Comments Off on Avalanche kills skier in Alaska; Japan ski resort also hit by slide

Avalanche kills skier in Alaska; Japan ski resort also hit by slide{mosimage}ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A 30-year-old man was killed in an avalanche in a backcountry skiing area near Girdwood, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Anchorage.

Two men were skiing in the Raggedtop Mountain area Tuesday afternoon, about a mile from the Crow Creek trial head, and were caught in 100-foot-wide (30-meter) avalanche that fell about 2,000 feet (600 meters), Alaska State Troopers spokesman Greg Wilkinson said.

One skier was able to free himself and activated an emergency beacon. He then found the other skier dead.

Rescuers were able to reach the backcountry area about two hours after the avalanche was reported, Wilkinson said.
The 28-year-old survivor was taken to his vehicle and released. His identity was not immediately released.

The identity of the victim also was not released pending notification of relatives.
Wilkinson said both men were Alaskans.

Dozen buried in Japan
An avalanche at a ski resort in northwestern Japan buried 12 skiers and resort workers, badly injuring at least one, police said Tuesday.

The avalanche struck about 5:20 p.m. at Naeba ski resort in Niigata prefecture (state), burying 12 people, including a worker in an observatory hut who suffered some fractured ribs, said a local police official who gave only his last name, Saito.

Another two employees and nine skiers were treated for minor cuts and bruises at a nearby clinic, Saito said. He declined to give further details on those involved, including their nationalities.

All 12 were pulled from the snow by other skiers before authorities arrived on the scene, and police are ”99 percent sure” that no others remained buried, Saito said.
Niigata, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Tokyo, has recently been hit with heavy snowfall. The weather agency warned that snow clouds could dump another 80 centimeters (31 inches) of snow in the region through late Wednesday.

– The Associated Press

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