Professional Skier Kyle Smaine Dies at Age 31 After Being Caught in Avalanche

Freestyle skier Kyle Smaine died Sunday after getting caught in an avalanche in Japan, his family told NBC News' Chantal Da Silva.

Smaine's father, William, told Da Silva the 31-year-old was skiing in Nagano Prefecture. Kyle Smaine said Sunday on Instagram he traveled to Japan annually because of the "unbelievable snow quality, non-stop storms, and really fun terrain that seems to get better" the more he was there.

Da Silva noted Japanese weather authorities had issued an avalanche warning because of the snowfall the region had received.

Per Reuters, a Nagano police spokesperson said five people were skiing on the slope of Mount Hakuba Norikura. Three people from the group made it down following the avalanche.

Grant Gunderson, a photographer for Mountain Gazette, was among the party. He said on Instagram that a skier from another group "triggered an avalanche that stepped down into a massive avalanche":

"Adam, Kyle and the other skier tried to run. Adam was buried 1.5 meters deep for 25 minutes and is unscathed. That is a miracle. The skier buried next to him died from internal injuries. Kyle was thrown 50 meters by the air blast and buried and killed.

"Another group in the area consisting of two Canadian mountain guides and 4 or 5 emergency doctors / nurses etc as clients performed the rescue. The doctors did everything they could for Kyle and the other skier."

A spokesperson said the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was "aware of the incident in Nagano Prefecture and has been in touch with the relevant authorities to provide all appropriate assistance," per Da Silva.

Smaine was an experienced professional skier and earned a gold medal in the men's ski halfpipe at the 2015 World Championships.