David Linder one of Three Skiers In Alaska Avalanche
An avalanche in the Alaskan backcountry buried three skiers under at least 40 feet of snow, Alaska Wildlife Troopers said in a dispatch Wednesday. Authorities said the massive avalanche occurred Tuesday afternoon near the small resort town of Girdwood in the southern part of the state. The three skiers, who were part of a heli-skiing group, became trapped in the avalanche at around 3:30 p.m. local time, their guides said.
The Alaska State Troopers have identified the three missing persons who were caught in the avalanche as:
- David Linder, 39 of Florida
- Charles Eppard 39, of Montana
- Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota
Troopers, avalanche, and recovery experts will attempt to conduct an aerial assessment of the slide area today to determine additional avalanche danger and recovery options.
Due to poor weather conditions in the area that prevented helicopter flights, Troopers, avalanche experts, and recovery teams could not assess the slide area for avalanche safety considerations and recovery options today. Troopers are optimistic that weather conditions will improve on March 6th to allow for flights in the area.
Matt Ketelsen, managing partner of Radio Mankato issued the following statement about David Linder:
We will update on this story as more information becomes available
