Search Continues for Friends After Heli-Skier's Body Found

Seven months after a deadly avalanche swept away three skiers in Alaska, rescue teams have recovered the body of one of the missing men. David Linder, 39; Charles Eppard, 39; and Jeremy Leif, 38, all friends from Minnesota, were heliskiing near Girdwood on March 4 when an avalanche swept them away. Initial rescue efforts were halted due to the depth of the snow, estimated at 40 feet to 100 feet, and the ongoing risk of further avalanches. Officials said the recovered remains have been taken to the state medical examiner's office for identification, CBS News reports.

Last Friday, a team of volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department managed to return to the site. The crew found the body, according to officials, caught in a log jam within a river flowing beneath the avalanche site. Search operations, by air and on the ground, will continue in hopes of locating the other two men, per Alaska's News Source. Heliskiing involves helicopter access to remote, lift-free slopes. Girdwood, known as Alaska's skiing capital, draws enthusiasts for such high-adrenaline adventures. Avalanche fatalities remain a persistent threat in the US, with the National Avalanche Center reporting 23 deaths in the 2024-25 season, most involving skiers and snowboarders.