Initial daylight search finds no sign of missing skier and snowboarder in Washington

1 missing man in Wash. on skis, other on snowboard

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, Wash. — With daylight Friday, aircraft joined the search in Washington state for two missing men 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 men in their first morning sweeps.

Another spokesman Ed Troyer, told The News Tribune of Tacoma, that searchers have been pinging the men’s cell phones and tracking the pings.

The men are both 27 and live in Seattle. One was on skis, the other on a snowboard.

Deputy Dan Hudson says the men were reported overdue Thursday night, and searchers followed tracks in the snow east in an out-of-bounds area into Yakima County.

The two are reportedly college students originally from Vermont.

Information from: The News Tribune, www.thenewstribune.com

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

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, Wash. (AP) — 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 version CORRECTS that one on skis, other on snowboard.)