Eight backcountry skiers perish in California avalanche, ninth presumed dead

Six survivors were rescued after search teams on skis battled blinding snow and strong winds to reach them near Castle Peak, northwest of Lake Tahoe.

Eight backcountry skiers were confirmed killed and a ninth was presumed to have perished when their tour group was overtaken by a football-field-sized avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday, in the deadliest US avalanche in 45 years, authorities said.