Hello W&SS forumites:
Here is an unsettling and unfortunate lesson on why you can't assume, in a survival scenario, that being seen by a helicopter or airplane (or any other vehicle, for that matter) that you've therefore been saved.
Also, the story is evidence that you do need to bring a PSK even on the most innocent-sounding outdoor outing.
Matt
Should have searched sooner, Mounties say
February 26, 2009
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Golden, B.c. The RCMP admitted today they should have acted sooner when they found out someone had marked out an SOS on a mountainside where two skiers were lost.
At a news conference in Golden, B.C., RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk explained that RCMP contacted the nearby Kicking Horse ski resort when they first received the report Feb. 21.
The resort said it didn't know of any missing or overdue skiers, so the Mounties decided not to check out the area around the rescue symbol.
Moskaluk conceded that, in hindsight, that was the wrong call.
"There's an error on the part of the RCMP for not initiating a callout on Feb. 21," he said.
Gilles Blackburn, 50, and his wife Marie-Josee Fortin, 44, ended up spending nine days lost on the mountain.
Police finally did begin a search three days after the SOS was reported to them, but only after a man was spotted on the mountain signalling for help.
By that point it was too late for Fortin. She had died on the mountain.
Moskaluk said an independent review will investigate why police didn't search when the SOS was first reported.
The troubles for the Quebec couple began when they decided to ski out of bounds at the ski resort Feb 15.
The couple, who police say were not prepared for the backcountry, quickly realized they were in over their heads, but couldn't get back to safety.
Moskaluk said police can't confirm yet what happened in the days that followed. But details from the resort, a heli-skiing company and search-and-rescue officials have pieced together the tragic sequence of events that led to the delayed rescue.
On Feb. 17, two days after the couple became lost, an off-duty ski guide touring in the area spotted some tracks and an SOS stamped into the snow.
The ski guide reported the sighting to his employer, Purcell Helicopter Skiing, which told the resort. It in turn informed search-and-rescue officials.
Resort and rescue officials checked for unreturned rental skis, missing persons reports and any vehicles that may have been left in the parking lot.
On Feb. 21, skiers saw two more SOS symbols, and again notified Purcell, which this time reported it to RCMP at the nearby Golden detachment.
But it wasn't until a heli-skiing tour spotted Blackburn waving his arms for help on Feb. 24 that police acted.
"This is a tragic incident that because of a chain of events that led to limited information being received by several community agencies, including the RCMP, led to some confusion as to initiation and callout of a search-and-rescue effort," Moskaluk said.
Temperatures in Golden ranged from a high of 5C one day to a low of -18C overnight while the couple was missing.
Blackburn has been released from hospital after being treated for frostbite and is on his way back to Quebec.
An autopsy on his wife is to be performed in the coming days.
Moskaluk said police would prefer to wait until then before saying how or when she died, even though they have a pretty good idea from Blackburn.
"Given that he was on the hill and suffering from exposure ... it's a little early to pinpoint ... if his account is 100 per cent accurate as to what day of the week it actually was when she passed away."
Here is an unsettling and unfortunate lesson on why you can't assume, in a survival scenario, that being seen by a helicopter or airplane (or any other vehicle, for that matter) that you've therefore been saved.
Also, the story is evidence that you do need to bring a PSK even on the most innocent-sounding outdoor outing.
Matt
Should have searched sooner, Mounties say
February 26, 2009
THE CANADIAN PRESS
Golden, B.c. The RCMP admitted today they should have acted sooner when they found out someone had marked out an SOS on a mountainside where two skiers were lost.
At a news conference in Golden, B.C., RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk explained that RCMP contacted the nearby Kicking Horse ski resort when they first received the report Feb. 21.
The resort said it didn't know of any missing or overdue skiers, so the Mounties decided not to check out the area around the rescue symbol.
Moskaluk conceded that, in hindsight, that was the wrong call.
"There's an error on the part of the RCMP for not initiating a callout on Feb. 21," he said.
Gilles Blackburn, 50, and his wife Marie-Josee Fortin, 44, ended up spending nine days lost on the mountain.
Police finally did begin a search three days after the SOS was reported to them, but only after a man was spotted on the mountain signalling for help.
By that point it was too late for Fortin. She had died on the mountain.
Moskaluk said an independent review will investigate why police didn't search when the SOS was first reported.
The troubles for the Quebec couple began when they decided to ski out of bounds at the ski resort Feb 15.
The couple, who police say were not prepared for the backcountry, quickly realized they were in over their heads, but couldn't get back to safety.
Moskaluk said police can't confirm yet what happened in the days that followed. But details from the resort, a heli-skiing company and search-and-rescue officials have pieced together the tragic sequence of events that led to the delayed rescue.
On Feb. 17, two days after the couple became lost, an off-duty ski guide touring in the area spotted some tracks and an SOS stamped into the snow.
The ski guide reported the sighting to his employer, Purcell Helicopter Skiing, which told the resort. It in turn informed search-and-rescue officials.
Resort and rescue officials checked for unreturned rental skis, missing persons reports and any vehicles that may have been left in the parking lot.
On Feb. 21, skiers saw two more SOS symbols, and again notified Purcell, which this time reported it to RCMP at the nearby Golden detachment.
But it wasn't until a heli-skiing tour spotted Blackburn waving his arms for help on Feb. 24 that police acted.
"This is a tragic incident that because of a chain of events that led to limited information being received by several community agencies, including the RCMP, led to some confusion as to initiation and callout of a search-and-rescue effort," Moskaluk said.
Temperatures in Golden ranged from a high of 5C one day to a low of -18C overnight while the couple was missing.
Blackburn has been released from hospital after being treated for frostbite and is on his way back to Quebec.
An autopsy on his wife is to be performed in the coming days.
Moskaluk said police would prefer to wait until then before saying how or when she died, even though they have a pretty good idea from Blackburn.
"Given that he was on the hill and suffering from exposure ... it's a little early to pinpoint ... if his account is 100 per cent accurate as to what day of the week it actually was when she passed away."
