An Australian woman in her fifties and her three sons believed to be in their twenties failed to return home from their Monday ski day at Nozawa Onsen and are currently reported missing according to ABC Correspondent Rachel Mealey.
BREAKING: An Australian mother and 3 sons missing in Nozawa Onsen ski resort. Failed to return yesterday. Search resumes this morning.
— Rachel Mealey (@rachelmealey) January 16, 2017
The Nozawa Onsen resort in Nagano has recently received over 150cms of snow and word is the family may be stranded near the summit at 1600 metres with an overnight low of minus 10 degrees Celsius. 
Nozawa Onsen is a hot springs ski resort known as ‘the birthplace of skiing in Japan’ and famous for the Dosojin Fire Festival every January 15. It is a popular ski resort for Australians. Yesterday’s snow report advised the following: 
We will bring you news to hand as it comes in as the search continues today for their safe return.
Nagano police: 4 skiers reported missing in Nozawa Onsen ski resort, an Australian woman in her 50s and her family https://t.co/TV8BjCCpYC — Yumi Asada (@yumi_asada) January 16, 2017
BREAKING: Police in Nozawa Onsen Japan say they were contacted by a relative of the skiers, who read their call for rescue on Facebook.
— Rachel Mealey (@rachelmealey) January 16, 2017
Nagano police have reported that a family friend alerted the ski resort to the missing skiers last night after a Facebook post from the skiers allegedly revealed they were building a snow cave.
UPDATED: Skiers have been found alive and well
Feature photo credit: Nozawaholidays.com
