2 skiers killed in Canadian avalanches

WHISTLER, British Columbia, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Two skiers were killed at a resort in the Canadian Coast Mountains in areas that were off limits because of the risk of avalanches, authorities said Thursday.

The men died in separate avalanches near Whistler, British Columbia, CTV reported.

Searchers found the body of a 37-year-old Whistler man Thursday morning, a day after he was reported missing on Blackcomb Mountain.

The second victim was killed Thursday afternoon on Whistler Mountain, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. He was described as a 26-year-old man.

Another avalanche hit an area on Whistler Mountain that had not been marked as out of bounds. Resort employees then changed the area's designation.

This year has been a bad one for avalanches in British Columbia. Eleven men on snowmobiles were buried by a slide near Fernie Sunday, eight of whom died.