Olympic photo highlights from Day 15 of the Milan Cortina Winter Games

MILAN (AP) — This gallery showcases top photos from Day 15 of the Milan Cortina Olympics taken by Associated Press photographers.

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Snowcat driver Oliviero Galli cleans up courses after a weather delay postponed the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)

Mia Manganello of the U.S. celebrates winning the bronze medal in the women's mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Daniel Grassl of Italy performs during the figure skating exhibition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

France's Thibault Anselmet strips off his skins during a ski mountaineering mixed relay, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

From left, Great Britain's Oliver Davies (28), France's Youri Duplessis-Kergomard (21), France's Terence Tchiknavorian (12) and Germany's Florian Wilmsmann (4) compete during the men's ski cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Workers watch as United States' Kaila Kuhn (5-1) practices before the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands practices ahead of the mass start speedskating races at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

From left, France's Terence Tchiknavorian (12), Germany's Florian Wilmsmann (4), Germany's Cornel Renn (20) and France's Youri Duplessis-Kergomard (21) compete during the men's ski cross final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Athletes compete in the women's mass start semifinal speedskating races at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Emil Iversen, of Norway, from right, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, of Norway, and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, compete in the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

China's Li Tianma (1-3) reacts after crashing during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, of Norway, right, leads at the start of the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Kazakhstan's Roman Ivanov (7-2) crashes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Gold medallist Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the men's mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, from left, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Emil Iversen, all three of Norway, compete in the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

United States' Connor Curran (5-2) practices before the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Team members and rescue workers carry an injured athlete after Austria's team Jakob Mandlbauer, Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi crashed during a four man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Austria's team Jakob Mandlbauer, Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi crashes during a four man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

United States' Cory Thiesse competes during a women's curling bronze medal match between Canada and the United States, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

From left, Czechia's Daniel Paulus (27), Germany's Florian Fischer (14), Switzerland's Alex Fiva (11) and Switzerland's Ryan Regez (3) compete during the men's ski cross final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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Snowcat driver Oliviero Galli cleans up courses after a weather delay postponed the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)

Mia Manganello of the U.S. celebrates winning the bronze medal in the women's mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Daniel Grassl of Italy performs during the figure skating exhibition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

France's Thibault Anselmet strips off his skins during a ski mountaineering mixed relay, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

From left, Great Britain's Oliver Davies (28), France's Youri Duplessis-Kergomard (21), France's Terence Tchiknavorian (12) and Germany's Florian Wilmsmann (4) compete during the men's ski cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Workers watch as United States' Kaila Kuhn (5-1) practices before the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands practices ahead of the mass start speedskating races at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

From left, France's Terence Tchiknavorian (12), Germany's Florian Wilmsmann (4), Germany's Cornel Renn (20) and France's Youri Duplessis-Kergomard (21) compete during the men's ski cross final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Athletes compete in the women's mass start semifinal speedskating races at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Emil Iversen, of Norway, from right, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, of Norway, and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, compete in the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

China's Li Tianma (1-3) reacts after crashing during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, of Norway, right, leads at the start of the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Kazakhstan's Roman Ivanov (7-2) crashes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Gold medallist Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the men's mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, from left, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Emil Iversen, all three of Norway, compete in the cross country skiing men's 50km mass start Classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

United States' Connor Curran (5-2) practices before the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Team members and rescue workers carry an injured athlete after Austria's team Jakob Mandlbauer, Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi crashed during a four man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Austria's team Jakob Mandlbauer, Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi crashes during a four man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

United States' Cory Thiesse competes during a women's curling bronze medal match between Canada and the United States, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

From left, Czechia's Daniel Paulus (27), Germany's Florian Fischer (14), Switzerland's Alex Fiva (11) and Switzerland's Ryan Regez (3) compete during the men's ski cross final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — A Black Hawk helicopter on Saturday flew to the snowy, mountainous region of the California’s Sierra Nevada where a fatal avalanche struck this week, amid an ongoing effort to make the area safe enough for crews to recover the bodies of the people killed.

Four people in brown cargo uniforms boarded the helicopter at the airport in Truckee, California, just before 10 a.m. Flight radar data showed the helicopter hovering around Frog Lake in the Castle Peak area, where the bodies of eight people were found on Tuesday, for just under 90 minutes before returning. One person who remained missing also is presumed dead.

Brutal weather and the threat of more avalanches have kept crews from safely recovering the bodies of the eight people killed and another still missing from Tuesday’s avalanche, which was roughly the size of a football field.

A temporary flight restriction over the site of the avalanche, which bars drones and all other unauthorized aircraft from flying in the area, was extended to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Officials said on Friday that they were using water to break up the snow in the area as avalanche mitigation work, a technique that is designed to intentionally release unstable snowpack to reduce the risk when rescue crews go in.

The mitigation and search efforts have included California Highway Patrol air operations, Nevada County Sheriff’s search and rescue, Tahoe Nordic search and rescue, the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric, the Sierra avalanche center and others.

The Nevada County Sheriff's department said in an email on Saturday that the “victim recovery effort remains ongoing," ahead of a 1 p.m. news conference.

Olympic photo highlights from Day 15 of the Milan Cortina Winter Games