Norwegian soldiers, along with civil defense troops and the Red Cross, are joining the search for three men believed to have been buried under mounds of snow in an avalanche on Senja in northern Norway last week. Repeated efforts to locate the victims’ bodies have failed.
The three men were out on a snowmobile trip during the Easter holidays when they were caught in one of the many avalanches to hit Troms County and other areas of Norway in recent weeks. Only one helmet and one snowmobile have been recovered since the avalanche on March 26.
A second snowmobile was also found, but the hard-packed snow around it made it impossible to retrieve. Bad weather, poor visibility and the danger of more avalanches also have stymied efforts to locate the victims, dig them out and allow their families to conduct funerals.
Now local police have asked for assistance from the Norwegian military, which has agreed to help with equipment and expertise necessary to blast the snow and ice away from the avalanche area and aid in the search. It remained unclear, though, when the efforts would begin because of ongoing weather and avalanche concerns.
newsinenglish.no staff
