Three people were killed when a large avalanche swept away a group of skiers in Canada, officials said. The avalanche struck just before 1 p.m. on Monday when two groups of skiers had just finished skiing and were waiting in a staging area below the tree line of Clute Creek water shed in an alpine area on the east side of Kootenay Lake in the British Columbia backcountry,

The RCMP said in a statement that a transport helicopter saw the avalanche happen and was able to sound the alarm to get the skiers help. Unfortunately, three of the four skiers were found dead.

Tributes are pouring in for three heli-skiers who died Monday after an avalanche in southeastern B.C. swept them away. The three men were from Whistler, Kaslo and Idaho.