Europe

Avalanche Kills Three People at Russian Ski Resort in Arctic

A view shows the accident scene after an avalanche hit a ski resort in the Siberian city of Norilsk, Russia, Jan. 9, 2021.

An avalanche that hit a Russian ski resort near the Arctic city of Norilsk late Friday killed three members of a family and buried four buildings under snow, authorities said.

Officials said rescuers recovered the bodies of a 38-year-old woman, her 45-year-old husband and their 18-month-old child.

A 14-year-old was pulled from the snow alive and was hospitalized with frostbite, officials said.

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The regional office of Russia's emergency services said in a statement Saturday that the rescue mission involved 242 people and 29 vehicles, working under severe weather conditions throughout the night to dig out the buildings covered with snow and ice.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it has opened a criminal probe to determine if the buildings' owners had adequate safety measures in place.

Norilsk is Russia's northernmost city, located over 2,870 kilometers northeast of Moscow.