Lake tahoe: Two more skiers lost their lives in separate incidents on Friday at Heavenly Mountain Resort, located in California’s Lake Tahoe area near the Nevada border. These fatalities add to a series of tragic events for snow sports enthusiasts in the region.

According to Anadolu Agency, the first victim was a 58-year-old man who experienced a medical emergency while on the Tamarack Return trail. The second victim, a 33-year-old man, was involved in a skiing accident on the intermediate Orion trail. Despite efforts by the Heavenly Ski Patrol to administer life-saving measures after transporting both individuals to the base area, they were pronounced dead.

Officials have stated that the incidents are not connected, and there is no known relationship between the deceased individuals. The investigation into the cause and manner of deaths is ongoing, and authorities have yet to release the identities of the victims, pending notification of their next of kin.

The Lake Tahoe region, known for its significant snowfall, with higher elevations averaging about 300 inches annually, has been experiencing particularly hazardous conditions this month due to heavy recent snow accumulations. These conditions have heightened the risk of avalanches, which was tragically evident earlier in the week. On Tuesday, an avalanche near Castle Peak claimed the lives of at least eight backcountry skiers, making it California’s deadliest avalanche in recorded history. Additionally, one person remains missing and is presumed dead from that incident.

In total, the Lake Tahoe area has seen at least 12 snow-sports-related fatalities this week, including nine from the Castle Peak avalanche (with one presumed dead), a collision death on Sunday, a death at Northstar on Thursday, and the two fatalities at Heavenly on Friday. Authorities have stressed that the incidents at Heavenly are unrelated to each other and to previous events in the region.