A Calgary man and his adult son have succumbed to their injuries after they were caught in an avalanche in the Purcell Mountains while snowmobiling on the weekend.
According to Avalanche Canada’s website, the group of snowmobilers was on the south side of Mount Brewer on Saturday when the slide occurred.
RCMP say a group of nine people from Calgary were snowmobiling together when two people were swept away by a 200 to 400 metre-wide slab.
Police were notified about the avalanche at about 2:50 p.m. and say it was reportedly triggered by high marking.
A 51-year-old man was buried in about two metres of snow and was flown to hospital in Invermere where he was pronounced dead. Avalanche Canada says his airbag was activated.
The transceiver signal of a second person, who is the deceased man’s son, was found on the lake near debris that was floating on the water. The search for the 24-year-old man concluded Monday afternoon with the recovery of his body from the lake.
Friends of the family confirm to CTV that the deceased are Larry and Matt Burdiga. RCMP say no one else was injured in the incident
