Mother and her seven-year-old son die in 'freak accident' when a chunk of snow the size of a trailer falls from the roof of their ski condo and buries them

Olga Perkovic, 50, of San Francisco and her son Aaron Goodstein, 7, were skiing
They had been returning from the slope when snow fell from roof of their condo
A neighbour in Kirkland, California called 911 after spotting gloves in the snow

By Associated Press and Iain Burns For Mailonline

Published: 08:44 BST, 6 March 2018 | Updated: 21:49 BST, 6 March 2018

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Olga Perkovic, 50, who died with her son in the tragic accident

A mother and her seven-year-old son have died after being buried under snow just feet from their ski condo in Northern California.

Olga Perkovic, 50, from San Francisco and her son Aaron Goodstein had been skiing in Kirkwood, which is in the Sierra Nevada near the state line, when they had a 'freak accident', Alpine County Sheriff's Department said.

They had been returning home from the slopes on Sunday when a chunk of snow about the size of a trailer fell from the roof of their vacation condo, burying them under about 3 feet of snow.

A neighbour called 911 after spotting ski gloves in the snow and realizing the mother and son were underneath.

'It was a freak accident,' said Undersheriff Spencer Pace.

He said warming temperatures often cause large chunks of snow to slide off roofs, occasionally injuring people. But he said neither he nor the sheriff can recall sliding snow killing anyone in the three decades they've been there.

Pace said Perkovic's mother, who was staying in the condo with the family of five, reported the pair missing at about 6:40pm on Sunday.

Rescuers searched the nearby Kirkwood Ski Resort (pictured) for hours because the pair's last known location was a ski lift where they scanned their tickets at about 4pm

At about 9pm, a neighbor spotted ski gloves next to the condo, realized they were buried beneath the snow and called 911. Pictured: The area around Kirkwood Ski Resort

The mother and son had been returning home from the slopes at Kirkwood resort (pictured) on Sunday when a chunk of snow about the size of a trailer fell from the roof of their vacation condo, burying them under about 3 feet of snow

Undersheriff Spencer Pace said: 'It was a freak accident.' He said warming temperatures often cause large chunks of snow to slide off roofs, occasionally injuring people. Pictured: Kirkwood

Rescuers searched the nearby Kirkwood Ski Resort for hours because the pair's last known location was a ski lift where they scanned their tickets at about 4pm.

Pace said it appears the two skied an 'alternate' route home from the slopes that took them between buildings on a path that is unpaved in the summer.

At about 9pm, a neighbor spotted ski gloves next to the condo, realized they were buried beneath the snow and called 911.

The mother and son were airlifted to a hospital, where they were declared dead, Pace said.

The mother and son were airlifted to a hospital, where they were declared dead, Pace said. Pictured: Kirkwood Ski Resort during the snowy weather

Pace said it appears the two skied an 'alternate' route home from the slopes that took them between buildings on a path that is unpaved in the summer

The region's largest storm of the winter season dumped more than 6 feet of snow in the area over the last week, according to the Kirkwood Ski Resort, which is about 180 miles east of San Francisco

They were the third and fourth skiers to die at California resorts since a major snowstorm late last week.

The region's largest storm of the winter season dumped more than 6 feet of snow in the area over the last week, according to the Kirkwood Ski Resort, which is about 180 miles east of San Francisco.

Kirkwood officials didn't return a call placed after 5pm

Avalanches also briefly closed Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain in recent days.