Three heli-skiers are presumed dead after they were caught in an avalanche Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said Wednesday in a statement. The large avalanche buried the skiers at about 3:30 p.m. local time near Girdwood.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers said an avalanche buried three skiers under a blanket of snow between 40 and 100 feet deep in a small resort town.

Alaska State Troopers say three skiers who had flown by helicopter to a remote mountain range were swept away by an avalanche and likely killed under the weight of dozens of feet of snow