Eight of the 9 backcountry skiers missing in Northern Californian mountain avalanche found dead

Eight of the nine backcountry skiers missing in a Californian avalanche have been found dead, authorities said Wednesday afternoon. 

The skiers were buried in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains amid heavy snow and “extreme weather conditions, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. One is still missing.

The skiers were on the final leg of a three‑day backcountry trip and were returning to the trail-head Tuesday morning when a wave of ice, rocks and debris came crashing down on them, according to CNN. 

Six skiers on the trip had previously been rescued.