5 killed in Canada avalanche

The five snowmobilers killed in an avalanche in northeastern British Columbia on Friday are men from Alberta between the ages of 41 and 55.

A spokesperson for Avalanche Canada said as quoted by CBC that the Friday avalanche near McBride was “very large” and “significant” and was human-triggered.

An avalanche technician retained by the BC Coroners Service examined the scene on January 30 to help in determining the cause of the avalanche.

RCMP were notified of two separate Global Positioning System beacon activations in the Renshaw area and quickly activated the Robson Valley Search and Rescue Team. Seventeen people were on the mountain and caught in the avalanche, police said. The coroner’s office in British Columbia identified them shortly after a press conference of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the small town of McBride. He advised anybody driving a snowmobile to stick to familiar areas and keep emergency gear, including a shovel, a probe stick and a transceiver, on hand.

The avalanche occurred Friday afternoon near McBride, approximately 210 kilometers southeast of Prince George.

A helicopter was dispatched as a huge search operation as launched, but five people were killed in the incident.

He also echoed Grierson’s statements saying the snowmobilers were “very prepared” and everyone was doing the “right thing” when he arrived on scene.

Whelpton says that the deceased were experienced snowmobilers and had the appropriate safety equipment.

Around 6 p.m. local time, the RCMP said the bodies of five snowmobilers were recovered.

The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of support from the snowmobiling community.

A leading expert says that after 10 minutes of being trapped in an avalanche, chances of survival drop dramatically as the snow hardens like concrete.

“Fairly significant weather event added rain and snow to the snowpack over the last few days followed by clearing and cooling today”, Klassen said.

Walline is now president of the McBride Snowmobile Club, and runs with a different group of friends who are content to play in much safer terrain.

Neil Petryshen, from Saskatoon, said he and his friends hadn’t absorbed the loss yet, but suggested the tragedy wouldn’t stop them from going out again.

On Saturday, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Conservative Interim Leader Rona Ambrose both offered their condolences to the victims of the avalanche.

“It was a very normal day, a handsome day”, he said.