Brothers killed by avalanche while heli-skiing in southeastern B.C.
The two men killed by an avalanche while heli-skiing near Revelstoke, B.C., on Monday have been identified as brothers and business leaders from Pennsylvania.
Timothy and Jonathan Kinsley were near Mount McCrae, in an area known as Chocolate Bunnies, with a heli-skiing guide when the avalanche struck and buried them in snow.
The three men were airlifted to Kelowna and rushed to hospital, but the Kinsleys could not be saved. Their guide, an employee of CMH Heli-Skiing, remained hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition.
Timothy Kinsley was the president of Kinsley Properties, a Pennsylvania real estate developer, while his brother was an executive at Kinsley Enterprises, a management company that oversees their family's business assets.
In a statement, the Kinsley family said they are "deeply heartbroken" by the news of the brothers' deaths.
"We know their presence as dedicated leaders in our organization and the community will be immensely missed by many," the statement said. "We are grateful for your love, understanding and prayers as our entire Kinsley family manages this loss."
The avalanche left two of the heli-skiers fully buried and the third partially buried, according to CMH Heli-Skiing. The group had transceivers that helped crews to locate them in the aftermath of the slide.
The outdoor adventuring company offered condolences to the Kinsleys' loved ones in a statement posted online Tuesday.
"The thousands of guests who ski with us each winter are our family," it said. "It is impossible to put into words the sorrow that we feel and the sadness that is shared by our guests, their families and all of our staff."
The B.C. RCMP told CTV News that while there’s nothing to indicate criminality, authorities will be conducting a full investigation into the circumstances around the Kinsleys’ deaths.
“It'll be a long and complex investigation, as these typically are,” said Sgt. Chris Manseau. “We'll speak with a lot of experts – those who will know about avalanches and avalanche safety and aeronautics, and just a variety of different groups.”
He said CMH Heli-Skiing had already located and removed the three men by the time Revelstoke RCMP were notified of the avalanche.
The incident followed several other fatal avalanches recorded across the province in recent weeks, during a period of heightened danger in the backcountry due to fragile snowpack.
On Saturday, a snowmobiler died after being struck by an avalanche near Valemont. Earlier this month, two off-duty officers from the Nelson Police Department were caught in a slide near the community of Kaslo.
One of them, Wade Tittemore, died at the scene. He was posthumously promoted in rank from constable to detective.
The other officer, Const. Mathieu Nolet, was hospitalized for more than a week before succumbing to his injuries.
Forecasters have warned that British Columbia is likely experiencing its most dangerous avalanche season in decades, with a uniquely unstable snowpack resulting from last year's historic drought and record-breaking winter storms.
The area of Monday’s slide currently has a “considerable” risk rating from Avalanche Canada, with a note that “several concerning layers exist in the snowpack that are producing large human-triggered avalanches.”
Mounties are reminding the public that while backcountry adventuring is popular in the province, everyone should do their research and a risk assessment before heading out.
“When you're in these little towns you forget that three or four hours by car is still a long ways away from a major centre, should there be an emergency,” said Manseau.
Up-to-date information on avalanche risks is available on the Avalanche Canada website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.