EIGHT of the nine skiers who vanished after getting caught in an avalanche have been found dead, and one is still missing.

They were part of a group of 15 taking a three-day backcountry excursion through the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.

6
A rescue ski team searched a section of the Sierra Nevada Mountains where eight out of nine missing skiers were found deadCredit: AFP
 

6
Snow dumped on Truckee, California, northwest of Lake TahoeCredit: AP
 

6
The snowstorm has seen 30 inches of snow in the area in the past 24 hoursCredit: AP
 

6
Credit: Getty
Six other skiers who were on the trip were rescued, but the rest disappeared after a wall of snow crashed down the mountainside near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said on Tuesday.

The grim update makes this the most deadly avalanche in the US since 1981, when 11 mountain climbers were killed on Mount Rainier in Washington.

The group of 15 consisted of nine women and six men. One of the survivors was a guide while the others were clients, Moon said.

The surviving skiers made contact with an emergency satellite messaging service immediately after the snow fell, but had to take shelter in a nearby wooded area under a tarp for 12 hours before they were rescued.

Church explosion sends 5 to hospital & leaves fireman fighting for his life

Efforts were made more difficult by a winter squall that’s been battering the West Coast and bringing dozens of inches of snow.

Moon said they have plenty of resources to continue their search for the remaining skier, but are being hindered by the heaps of snow that are at risk of falling.

Blackbird Mountain Guides, which coordinated the trip, has faced intense scrutiny for moving forward with the excursion despite the forecast.

Moon said she’s discussing this with the company, explaining, “The backcountry, it’s beautiful. There’s not a lot of people out there, and that’s where a lot of people like to recreate.

Fences go up around historic US landmark as millions warned to STAY AWAY

“I myself like to recreate in that area. But Mother Nature, it doesn’t seem to matter.”

In a statement shared earlier Wednesday morning, Blackbird Mountain Guides insisted it was helping with the search efforts.

“Our thoughts are with the missing individuals, their families, and first responders in the field,” wrote the group hours before the press conference.

The avalanche near Truckee, California, northwest of Lake Tahoe, was reported at around 11:30am by a mountain guide service and separately through an emergency beacon device.

It took place at an elevation of 8,200 feet near Castle Peak and was rated D2.5, meaning it is capable of burying a person.

Two of the rescued skiers were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Search continues

Russell Greene, a captain with the sheriff’s office, previously described the situation as “fluid” and said he’s contacting the families of the missing skiers.

“It’s in a tough area. It’s just going to be slow going so we don’t trigger any other avalanches, because that is definitely a possibility,” he told NBC News.

The Boreal Mountain Ski Resort, near where the avalanche occurred, has seen 30 inches of snow in the past 24 hours, with three to four inches reported an hour in some areas.

An avalanche warning was in place on the day of the incident, with slides powerful enough to bury a house possible.

Blackbird Mountain Guides said the group was in the process of returning to the trailhead when the snow came crashing down.

The group had reportedly been staying at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts since Sunday.

6
Six skiers were found safelyCredit: AP
 

6
The avalanche was reported at 11:30am on Tuesday near Castle Peak northwest of Lake TahoeCredit: AP
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15959506/avalanche-missing-skiers-lake-tahoe/