Tragic Avalanche Claims Lives in Washington State Wilderness

A devastating avalanche on Friday resulted in the deaths of two men and the lucky rescue of two others in central Washington.

Incident Details

The Kittitas County Sheriff reported that four men were adventuring on snowmobiles near the Longs Pass trail in the backcountry. During their expedition, they were engulfed by a massive slide of snow later in the afternoon.

Emergency Response

Ian Laing and Patrick Leslie, the two survivors, managed to activate a distress signal using a Garmin satellite communicator. Rescue teams, navigating on snowmobiles, reached them the same day to ensure their safety.

Recovery Operations

In a statement issued Saturday, officials mentioned one man was completely submerged and died, while another was presumed dead under similar circumstances. Hazardous conditions forced the suspension of the search until the next morning.

Through joint efforts involving K9 units and aerial resources, the remains of Paul Markoff, aged 38 from North Bend, and Erik Henne, aged 43 from Snoqualmie Pass, were eventually located and retrieved.

Authorities' Statement

The Sheriff's Office expressed their deep sympathies to the bereaved families and friends of those perished. The recovered bodies were transported to the Kittitas County Coroner's premises.