COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — Two teenagers from Illinois were killed in a sledding accident Sunday night at Copper Mountain ski resort, the Summit County Sheriff's Office said.
The sheriff's office said they responded to the scene around 8:35 p.m. The teens reportedly rode tandem down the halfpipe and launched from a large snowbank at the bottom. The teenagers came down hard on the hard ice below, causing blunt-force trauma, the sheriff's office said.
Despite immediate medical attention from emergency medical services, the teens could not be revived and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The teens, who were 17 and 18 years old, were in Colorado on a spring break vacation.
The Prairie Central school district in Illinois identified them as Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and friends of the individuals involved in this tragic incident,” Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said.
“The entire team at Copper Mountain is deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” said Dustin Lyman, Copper Mountain’s president and general manager. “Our most sincere condolences go out to the affected families and friends. We are also thankful to our local emergency responders, for their quick response and the medical assistance provided.”
Copper Mountain asked guests to observe posted signs and warnings and not enter closed trails and areas.
"Sledding is strictly prohibited here at Copper Mountain," Lyman said. "There's designated zones in some of our milder terrain, but on-mountain, after we close, there's no sledding allowed."
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