Initial daylight search finds no sign of 2 skiers missing at Washington’s Crystal Mountain

Aircraft search for 2 missing skiers in Washington

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, Wash. — Aircraft have joined the search in Washington state for two missing skiers at the Crystal Mountain resort near Mount Rainier National Park.

Pierce County sheriff’s Deputy Bob Nelson says a county plane and King County helicopter found no new sign of the skiers in their first morning sweeps.

Deputy Dan Hudson says the two men from Seattle were reported overdue Thursday night, and the ski patrol found their car early Friday in a parking lot.

Searchers followed tracks in the snow east in an out-of-bounds area into Yakima County.

Hudson says the two men carried avalanche beacons and are wearing ski clothing with sensors that also may be detected with tracking equipment.

The two are reportedly college students originally from Vermont.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, Wash. (AP) — A helicopter is helping search for two skiers missing at the Crystal Mountain resort on the east side of Mount Rainier National Park.

Pierce County sheriff’s Deputy Dan Hudson told KIRO-TV the sheriff’s office received the report from the Ski Patrol early Friday, and searchers found the car of the two skiers in a parking lot.

Searchers followed tracks in the snow into an out-of-bounds area that led into Yakima County, so the Yakima County sheriff’s office has been called in.

Hudson says the two men carried avalanche beacons and are wearing ski clothing with sensors that also may be detected with tracking equipment.

Information from: KIRO-TV, www.kirotv.com/index.html