California Avalanches Kill Three

Jan 26, 07:22 PM

Another man, a snowboarder reported missing Friday, was spotted by a helicopter early Saturday, the Los Angeles Times reported. Dana Bee of the Los Angeles coroner's office said the man found shelter and hunkered down for the night.

Three separate avalanches were reported Friday at Mountain High Resort near Wrightwood. One killed Michael McKay, 23, a member of the Mountain High ski patrol, who was trapped for almost 90 minutes under heavy snow.

The body of Darren Coffey, 33, another ski patrol member, was recovered late Friday. He was reported missing in a second avalanche, while two people were rescued and treated for hypothermia.

The third victim was described as a man in his 60s from Santa Monica.

More snow was forecast for Saturday as emergency officials farther south in California remained on alert for minor flooding and mudslides. Many hills and canyons in Southern California burned in last year's wildfires are in danger of washing away because they have little or no foliage to anchor the soil. California Avalanches Kill Three
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