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US freestyle skier Kyle Smain was one of two skiers killed in an avalanche in Japan on Sunday.
A 31-year-old Lake Tahoe, California-based athlete posted a video on Instagram of himself skiing on the day of his tragic accident.
“This is why I return to Japan every winter,” he wrote. “Incredible snow quality, unstoppable storms and really fun terrain that gets better the more you explore.”
Smain, who won gold in the halfpipe at the 2015 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships, was caught in an avalanche in Nagano Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu, his father, William Smain, told NBC News.
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Reuters reported that an avalanche occurred at 2:30 p.m. local time at the ski resort Mt. Shirouma Norikura, according to a spokesman for the Nagano Prefectural Police.
An avalanche warning has been issued after days of heavy snowfall, according to NBC News.
Related: Two snowmobile riders bury and die in Colorado avalanche
Up to five men were caught in the avalanche and were skiing in two separate groups, according to Reuters. Three skiers made it down the mountain on their own, but his other man, from Austria, died.
Smaine had visited the area on an Ikon Pass and Nagano Tourism marketing trip. mountain gazette with Washington-based professional skier Adam Yu, speaking about Smain’s final time in an interview on Sunday.
Sean M. Huffy/Getty Kyle Smain
“It was the last run on the last day of our trip,” he said. “We didn’t have camera equipment. We were out and about.”
according to mountain gazette“After the first run, Ü and Smaine went on the second lap. At the summit, Ü and Smaine met a group of Austrian skiers. Smaine and Ü did the same run as before. Austria A group of decided to ski another different side of exposure, according to Ü.
The article continues: “Bottom runners Smain and Yu were backcountry returning his gear to uphill his mode. The first Austrian group joined them. The second Austrian skier caused a slide .”
“We saw it coming,” said Ü. “I heard a crack. I realized it was a big one.
Sean M. Huffy/Getty Kyle Smain
according to mountain gazette, according to those who rescued him, Ü had been buried for nearly 25 minutes, but was able to make his way down the mountain on his own. A rescue operation was carried out on the Austrian skier and Smain, but there was no response.
Related: Man killed in Colorado avalanche skiing with surviving father after being freed from snow
according to gripped outdoorSmain was Team USA’s first substitute at the 2018 Olympics.
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