Rochester 11-year-old girl died while on vacation

ROCHESTER – An 11-year-old girl from Rochester died in an avalanche while on vacation in Utah on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Her identity has not been released, but she was a student at Rochester Memorial School. 

“This is devastating news for our school community," said Superintendent Michael S. Nelson. "We offer our sincere condolences to the student's family, friends, classmates, and teachers during this unimaginable time. Our focus at this time is on supporting those who are grieving and we ask that the family's privacy be respected."

The girl was skiiing near Brighton Ski Resort when she was caught in an avalanche. According to Fox13, a Utah TV  station, she and her family were skiing in an out-of-bounds area. 

She was buried for 30 minutes before being found by search and rescue, and was transferred to a hospital in critical condition. 

Due to heavy winds, a dispatched rescue helicopter was forced to turn around. 

The resort had been closed on Wednesday due to bad weather.