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Search for teenagers lost under avalanche suspended again over bad weather

As many as 228 people are engaged in the search

MOSCOW, March 4 (Itar-Tass) – The search for six teenagers, who went missing under the avalanche in the highlands in the Russian Republic of Tuva, was suspended again over the bad weather, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations Irina Rossius told Itar-Tass on Monday.

“The search for six teenagers was suspended at 08:00 Moscow time on Monday over the bad weather, including a new avalanche threat. The search will resume as soon as it is possible,” she said.

A school student, who succeeded to survive in the avalanche, was participating in the search on Monday, Rossius said.

“All rescuers, who are involved in the search operation, descended to the bottom of the mountain,” she said.

As many as 228 people are engaged in the search, the search team will be beefed up.

On Sunday, the search-and-rescue operation was futile.

The tragedy occurred on March 3 on the Akbash-Tag Mount in the Mongun-Taiginsky district in Tuva. The mount is 3,250 meters high. The group of seven school students born in 1995, 1996 and 1999 went skiing. A teenager went skiing downhill before his friends. Twenty metres separated him from the avalanche. The boy managed not to get under the avalanche, the others were trapped under the avalanche. The avalanche is 200 by 600 metres in size and 5-6 metres high. Six teenagers remain trapped under the avalanche.

The hotline was opened in the Tuva republican emergency situation department. Psychologists are on duty round-the-clock.