© Kyodo / ReutersRescue workers carry victims near a ski resort in Nasu town, north of Tokyo, Japan, March 27, 2017.
The group of 52 students and 11 teachers from seven high schools were on the last day of a three-day mountaineering trip when the avalanche struck in the town of Nasu, some 120km (75 miles) north of Tokyo Monday, reports Japan Times.
More than 100 troops were deployed to assist emergency services in a major rescue effort.
A weather warning for heavy snow and avalanches was issued for Sunday and Monday in the region by the Meteorological Agency. Some 33cm (13 inches) of snow fell in Nasu over an eight-hour period on Monday.
Most of the students killed were from Otawara High School in the Tochigi prefecture, according to AFP.
© Kyodo / Reuters
In these circumstances Japan has a policy of not confirming deaths until the bodies are recovered, AFP reported.
"This is an annual event and we never had a major accident before," one of the teachers told Jiji Press. "I am really shocked."
Mountain climbing isn't safe, it's dangerous and people have been killed before. When there's snow the level of danger rises exponentially
and sometimes even experienced skiers have been injured seriously, even killed.
First of all learning to ski on mountain snow is hard to begin with. You will fall so many times, eat literally so much snow you 'll regret the day you took the decision to start learning. Especially at high speed downhill runs when you approach speeds of 120 miles/hour (!!!) the slightest mistake can bring disaster even death.
In case of an avalanche it's like a volcano erupting in reverse temperatures. It happens without prior warning, almost instantly and if you happen to be in the way, well , there's no time to react, say goodbye to this world.