3 heli-skiers killed in southeastern B.C. avalanche, RCMP say

Three heli-skiers were killed Monday after an avalanche in southeastern B.C. swept them away, according to RCMP.

The RCMP said the avalanche occurred around the village of Kaslo, on the east side of Kootenay Lake, at about 1 p.m. PT.

Two groups of skiers had just finished skiing the bowl and were waiting in a staging area below the tree line of the Clute Creek watershed. A transport helicopter was nearing the group when the pilot observed an avalanche and sounded the siren," the RCMP said in a news release.

One group of skiers was able to get out of the way, but the other group of four was swept away into the tree line, RCMP said.

On Monday, Avalanche Canada rated the danger in the area around Kootenay Lake as high, from the alpine to below the treeline.