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Whitefish Avalanche Search Suspended

By Beacon Staff

Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan announced Wednesday he is suspending the search for additional victims of Sunday’s avalanche until more information becomes available. Earlier Wednesday detectives escorted two eyewitnesses back to the scene of the slide near Whitefish Mountain Resort.

The witnesses reiterated the location on Fiberglass Hill where they believe two additional victims were swept up in the avalanche that killed two Flathead Valley skiers. But after searching those specific areas three times over three days, no one was found. In the three days since, no missing persons reports associated with the avalanche have been filed.

“Any new information in this case will result in a re-evaluation of further searches in this area,” Meehan said in a prepared statement.

The massive avalanche on Fiberglass Hill, a popular out-of-bounds area near the Whitefish resort, killed Anthony Kollmann, 19, of Kalispell and David Gogolak, 36, of Whitefish.

Related: Whitefish Avalanche Witnesses to be Re-Interviewed