Avalanche kills two skiers, 23 and 32, with a third rescued alive after they were hit by wall of snow in 'very serious terrain' on Utah mountain

Two skiers have died in a late season avalanche in Utah, with teams facing remote and rugged terrain as they managed to rescue a third man alive.

The two victims, aged 23 and 32, had been skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City on Thursday after a snow dump of more than 30in (76cm) covered the area.

One man was winched to safety after digging himself out of the avalanche, according to police, and was then taken to hospital.

Emergency services were called to Lone Peak at around 10am, with helicopters sent to scour the scene, but crews struggled for hours to locate the group.

The skiers were confirmed dead by the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC), which said their bodies could not be immediately recovered due to the harsh conditions.

One man was winched to safety after digging himself out of the avalanche, according to police

The men had been skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City on Thursday after a snow dump of more than 30in (76cm) covered the area

Emergency crews gather at Hidden Valley Park in Sandy, Utah, after responding to a report of an avalanche and three missing skiers in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Thursday, May 9, 2024

Officials visited the site in the Little Cottonwood Canyon yesterday afternoon and confirmed the two skiers had died.

One of the men is said to have been a local, while the other was visiting from another state.

The man who survived the avalanche is believed to have been the person who made the call to rescue teams, according to police.

Around two hours after the skiers were reported missing, a helicopter was seen bringing an individual off the mountain, KUTV reports.

Officials said yesterday afternoon that crews would carry out 'mitigation' work to make the area safe for rescuers to reach the two deceased men.

Crews from the Unified Police Department, US Forest Service and Wasatch Backcountry Rescue, assisted in the search and rescue operation.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said that winter sports enthusiasts should be wary of unpredictable conditions at this time of year due to a change in weather.

An ambulance pulls away from Hidden Valley Park in Sandy, Utah, after emergency crews responded to a report of an avalanche and three missing skiers in Little Cottonwood Canyon

A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter carries rescuers from Hidden Valley Park

UAV forecaster Craig Gordon said several feet of heavy, wet snow had fallen in the region over recent days.

He added that the accident happened in 'very serious terrain' only suitable for experienced skiers. 

The UAC says that no other avalanche deaths have been recorded this late in the season.

People caught in avalanches can die from suffocation, trauma, or hypothermia. 

An average of 28 people die in avalanches every winter in the US, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.