2 backcountry skiers from New Zealand are killed in an avalanche in Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police say two backcountry skiers from New Zealand have died in an avalanche on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido. A third skier, a man also from New Zealand, survived with a shoulder injury when the avalanche hit them Monday on the 6,227-foot Mount Yotei. They were reportedly part of a group of six backcountry skiers. Kyodo News agency says a separate group of four backcountry skiers was also hit by an avalanche at a nearby mountain, with one suffering a leg injury. According to the news agency, there was no heavy snow or avalanche advisories issued in the area at that time.