A 47-year-old Alberta snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche on Sunday in northeast British Columbia.
The RCMP said the slide came down Sunday afternoon near Albright Ridge, west of Tumbler Ridge, hitting a total of five snowmobilers, one of whom was buried in more than two metres of snow.
"The location northwest of Albright Ridge is known to be an alpine area used by a small number of experienced snowmobilers," the RCMP said in a press release.
Tumbler Ridge RCMP received a call from a US centre that monitors Satellite Personal Trackers, which were used by the snowmobilers. The devices use Global Positioning System technology to track the users in cases of emergencies.
"The US call centre informed Canadian authorities that the emergency devices were activated in an area west of Tumbler Ridge," the RCMP said.
The Provincial Emergency Program initiated a local search and rescue team.
Meanwhile, two of the snowmobilers dug out their trapped companion while the two others went to get help.
"The injured male had been dug out by the survivors using avalanche beacons, probes and shovels from about two meters of snow and required CPR," said the RCMP.
The search and rescue could not find the men who stayed behind, which RCMP said was due to numerous challenges including lack of light, snow conditions and difficult terrain. The search was called off on Sunday night, but police said the men were in good health, with food, water, fire and an emergency kit.
Efforts resumed Monday morning and they were located and removed from the area around 10:20 a.m.
When rescuers reached the site Monday, the man from Grande Cache, Alta., was dead. Police are not disclosing his name until the family can be notified.
Authorities have repeatedly warned skiers and snowmobilers to avoid or take extreme precaution when in the back-country due to some of the worst avalanche conditions seen in three decades in some parts of B.C.
The body of an Alberta skier killed in an avalanche was recovered on Jan. 17 from Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park in southeastern British Columbia.
That same weekend, an avalanche in Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary, claimed the lives of two brothers, Rob and Mark Glaser, who died while back-country skiing.
