RCMP confirm three foreign national skiers have died in an avalanche near Invermere, B.C.

INVERMERE — Mounties in southeast British Columbia say three foreign nationals who were heli-skiing have died following an avalanche Wednesday.

According to Cpl. James Grandy, the Columbia Valley RCMP was notified of an avalanche on Wednesday (Mar. 1) at 12:40 p.m. The report of an avalanche was triggered southwest of Invermere, B.C. An initial report concluded that multiple people who had been heli-skiing in the area were caught up by the avalanche.

Rescue efforts that began initially with search and rescue personnel, however, were stood down prior to their arrival, as all the buried skiers were accounted for.

In total, there were ten people caught up in the avalanche, Cpl. Grandy said. Three of the skiers are deceased, four were injured, some of which are in serious condition, but believed to survive. One of the seriously injured was the guide.