Two skiers were killed after they were caught in an avalanche in Utah following late spring snowstorms, the sheriff says

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Two skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche Thursday in the mountains outside Salt Lake City that occurred after several days of spring snowstorms, authorities said.

A rescue team responded shortly after 10 a.m. to an avalanche reported near Lone Peak in the Wasatch Range southeast of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said.

One of the skiers, who was able to dig himself out of the snow, was rescued and taken to the hospital by midday, Rivera said.

A rescue team flew over the area in a helicopter and confirmed the deaths of the other two men, Rivera said. There are two men aged 23 and 32. Their names have not been published.

Conditions were not safe enough Thursday to allow recovery, and crews planned to leave Friday morning if weather permitted, Rivera said.

Rivera said she believes the man who was rescued was the one who called for help. Officers spoke with him at the hospital to get more information about the incident, the sheriff said.

The skiers hiked into the area Thursday morning, she said.

Craig Gordon of the Utah Avalanche Center said about 2.5 feet (76 centimeters) of heavy, wet snow has fallen in the area over the past three days.

The skiers would have had to be very experienced to even be in the “very serious terrain,” he said.