Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Friends have identified the man as Rob Coppollilo, a husband, father and the owner of Vetta Mountain Guides based out of Seattle, Washington.
Close friend and professional colleague, Brian Lazar, said Coppollilo was leading a trip when the accident happened and his friend had all the right safety measures in place at the time.
"They were probing safe areas, making sure that the clients were adhering and sticking very close to the established track that they had probed and made sure it was safe from crevasse threat," Lazar said.
On April 18, Parks Canada officials said they received an emergency call from Icefall Lodge, located in a remote area near the Lyell Icefield, about someone who had fallen into a crevasse near Christian Peak in Banff National Park.
Rescuers responded by Alpine Helicopters to the site near the Alberta-BC boundary to find the skier had been extracted and members of the group were providing first aid.
Officials said Coppollilo was in the crevasse for about an hour.
“The visitor safety specialists continued first aid and transported the seriously injured skier to Lake Louise where they were transferred to STARS air ambulance,” said James Eastham with Parks Canada.
STARS confirmed that they then transported the patient suffering from injuries “sustained from a fall in a mountainous area” to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary.
Stuart Brideaux, a public education officer with Alberta Health Services, said EMS also had ground crews respond to the helipad in Lake Louise and stressed this was a very large collaborative response among many agencies.
“The timing would have had to have been crucial to allow these things to line up. Initially being able to find him and retrieve him in very short order was very, very key obviously. The cold environment in which this occurred as well was a positive factor of all things in this situation,” he said.
“Being able to coordinate between not one but two helicopters to initiate this rescue and ground units to provide that care was all very important.”
Despite rescue efforts, Lazar said Coppollilo suffered severe hypothermia, remained unresponsive in hospital and passed away shortly after.
A GoFundMe page set up on behalf of the family has raised more than $42,000 of its $50,000 goal.
"Robert was a mountain guy, but that was a drop in the bucket of painting the picture of his whole personality," Lazar said. "He was, at this stage of his life, certainly a very competent and experienced mountain guide but also a husband, (and) a really loving father to two twin boys.
Skier Rob Coppolillo and his family.
"He was (also) a prolific author who wrote for all kinds of outdoor publications," Lazar added. "He was a former bike racer, so he has written guides and manuals to both kinds of bike racing and bike maintenance."
“This is an unimaginable loss for Rebecca, Dominic, Luca, and countless friends worldwide. While Rebecca and the boys are strong, support from their friends far and wide is helping to bolster them as they endeavor to navigate their new world without Rob,” wrote the page’s author, Michelle Lazar.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Israeli attack on Rafah tent camp kills 45, prompts global outcry
An Israeli airstrike triggered a massive blaze killing 45 people in a tent camp in the Gaza city of Rafah, officials said on Monday, prompting an outcry from global leaders who urged the implementation of a World Court ruling to halt Israel's assault.
A cross-country look at beer and wine in convenience stores
By Labour Day weekend, Ontarians of legal drinking age could snag a six-pack at their local convenience store on the way to the cottage. But what are alcohol sales like across the country? Here's what we know.
Former 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor fatally shot in Los Angeles
Former 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles while interrupting thieves Saturday, according to his agent and CNN affiliate KABC.
Kingston, Ont. tenants fed up with lack of action from landlord over broken floor tiles
Joel Felder and Misti Pitcher have been living in their apartment in Kingston, Ont. for over two years, but the past 12 months have been miserable.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
U of T protesters don't plan to pack up, will hold rally at eviction deadline
Pro-Palestinian protesters who have been camped out at the University of Toronto for weeks say they have no plans to honour the terms of a trespass notice issued by the school and clear the demonstration site by 8 a.m. today.
She developed a passion for genealogy while finding her roots. Now she helps others find their own
Lauren Robilliard always knew she was adopted. As the B.C. native grew older, she developed a passion for genealogy, tracing her roots and paving the way for a career to help others find their own.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Papua New Guinea says landslide buried more than 2,000 people
A Papua New Guinea government official has told the United Nations more than 2,000 people were believed to have been buried alive by Friday's landslide and has formally asked for international help.