2 dead in avalanche near Golden, B.C.

Avalanche Canada says two people were killed in an avalanche in B.C.'s Purcell Mountains Thursday.

Avalanche Canada says two people were killed in an avalanche in B.C.'s Purcell Mountains Thursday.

A group of five snowboarders and one skier was caught in the slide in an area known as "Terminator 2.5" near Golden, B.C., according to Avalanche Canada.

The agency described the location as "outside of a ski area boundary."

"The avalanche was triggered by the group and four members of the group were involved," reads an incident summary on its website.

"Three members of the group were buried by the avalanche, one partially and two completely. The partially buried victim was extracted and had sustained injuries. The two fully buried victims did not survive."

In a series of Twitter posts, Avalanche Canada said it was "deeply saddened" to learn of the deaths Thursday.

"The snowpack in the Interior is still incredibly complex and difficult to manage," the agency said. "Deep persistent slab problems may exhibit no signs of instability before a large avalanche occurs."