4 men rescued in Utah after avalanche

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:50 AM PT – Monday, March 15, 2021

Search and rescue teams safely retrieved four back country skiers in Utah following an avalanche. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office said they received a call from the skiers near Pfeifferhorn peak around 11 a.m. local time on Sunday.

Officials said no one was buried, but two of the men suffered serious leg and ankle injuries in the avalanche. Wind and the possibility of another snow-slide pushed the rescue back a few hours, which led teams to drop care packages with necessary supplies.

Avalanche near Pfeifferhorn/Peak above Alpine and Little Cottonwood Canyon. 4 people involved. Nobody buried. 2 with leg & ankle injuries. @UCSO_SAR, @Intermountain LifeFlight, @UtahDPS helicopter. SL County Sheriff Also assisting. Media stage Alpine Rodeo Grounds. pic.twitter.com/xLhwSaBCck

— Utah County Sheriff (@UCSO) March 14, 2021

“None of them were buried by it, but two of them did sustain relatively serious injuries…one we believe a possible broken ankle and the other a possible broken leg,” stated Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. “When you’re making plans to go into areas where these kind of conditions exist, you have to ask yourself the question: should I even go?”

Officers said both victims were taken to the hospital while the two other men sustained only minor injuries and were shuttled out of the area. The U.S. has been experiencing a surge in avalanche deaths with 33 people having reportedly died so far this season.

Both victims are off the mountain. One taken by ambulance to @IntermtnMedCtr and the other going by private vehicle. Other two skiers sustained minor injuries. @UtahDPS Tactical Flight Officer and @UACwasatch expert also now off the mountain. pic.twitter.com/8NJ6Ci2GOR

— Utah County Sheriff (@UCSO) March 15, 2021

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