Avalanche Claims Life Of West Hartford Man: Sheriff

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The Connecticut man reported killed in an avalanche in Washington State over the weekend has been identified as a West Hartford resident.

According to the Chelan County Sherriff's Office in Washington, Seong Cho, a 54-year-old male Korean national residing in West Hartford, Conn., was one of three people killed in the avalanche.

The avalanche actually happened Sunday, Feb. 19, but the bodies of Cho and the two other victims were still at the site, which is deep in the Washington State wilderness.

Also killed were a 60-year-old woman from Bayside, N.Y., and a 66-year-old man from Palisades Park, N.J.

The fallen trio was part of a group of six climbers trying to climb an area known as Colchuck Peak on Sunday. Three other climbers survived.

Colchuck Peak is near Colchuck Lake, which is located approximately 8 miles south of Leavenworth, Wa.

Dangerous avalanche conditions have hamped efforts to recover the bodies, according to authorities.

Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said Wednesday no rescuers were sent in to the avalanche scene near Colchuck Peak due to concerns of additional avalanches.

The sheriff's office said two avalanche experts from Northwest Avalanche Center were deployed to the Colchuck area to assess the current avalanche hazard.

Recovery efforts will resume based on avalanche and weather conditions as well as overall rescuer safety, according to the sheriff's office.

From Feb. 21: 'CT Man, 2 Others Killed During Avalanche In Washington: Police'