Man survives 9 days in BC wilderness. Wife dies. - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Bertuzzied · 02-25-2009, 03:38 PM

Wow what a sad story. 2 SOS's were spotted by helicopters and nothing was done about it. 9 days on 2 granola bars between 2 people. I prob couldn't survive 9 hours out there.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/su...460/story.html

Two days after the couple became lost, local search-and-rescue crews were notified when a heli-skiing pilot saw a large SOS carved into the snow.
But after officials contacted the ski resort, they were notified that there were no outstanding ski rentals, missing person reports or cars unaccounted for left in the parking lot overnight.
For that reason, a ground search wasn't started for the missing couple, RCMP said.
Then, on Feb. 21, six days after the couple had been stranded, another helicopter pilot reported seeing the SOS to the Golden RCMP detachment.

Yeah_Baby · 02-25-2009, 03:52 PM

Utterly tragic

burn_this_city · 02-25-2009, 03:54 PM

Stupidity leaving the marked areas. I feel terrible for his loss but thats completely avoidable. I dont understand why the helicopters would ignore the SOS they put down.

Khel · 02-25-2009, 04:06 PM

Why were they skiing out of bounds? If your going to do that (not suggesting to do it), but at least be properly equipped. And seriously, how far out of bounds did they go that they couldn't make it back?

Not alot of detail there though... still sucks.

flylock shox · 02-25-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Stupidity leaving the marked areas. I feel terrible for his loss but thats completely avoidable. I dont understand why the helicopters would ignore the SOS they put down.

They didn't ignore it.

The information was passed along to relevant authorities who looked into it and decided there weren't sufficient indications that people were missing to justify a search and rescue mission. Further reports of SOS signs were subsequently brought to search and rescue's attention, but it appears there were some communication issues which resulted in the conclusion that these reports merely duplicated the previous ones, that the matter had been considered, and that no search and rescue was justified.

BlackArcher101 · 02-25-2009, 04:09 PM

Ya, but clearly someone made the SOS signal... it's not like it was done by nature. That alone implies someone is there that needs help. They made assumptions and it bit them in the ass.

Bobblehead · 02-25-2009, 04:12 PM

But they didn't follow up on the initial report because there were no missing rentals, no extra cars in the resort parking lot, and no one reported missing?

I hope a week long guest at the resort doesn't get lost early in their stay. Someone might die before anyone notices. Oh wait....

burn_this_city · 02-25-2009, 04:15 PM

Not exactly a thorough investigation. Guess you shouldnt bring your own gear and take a cab to the hill.

Gozer · 02-25-2009, 04:18 PM

Is there a problem with "fake" SOS'?

Ice · 02-25-2009, 05:55 PM

You just can't go out of bounds at ski resorts. Its too dangerous. Hazards aren't cleared, there's risk of avalanche, and its unlikely anyone will stumble on you if you do get injured. People really need to take those warnings more seriously. Just a couple of years ago we had snowboarders killled in the local LA mountains because they went out of bounds and were victims of an avalanche. Our mountains don't have nearly the snow pack of the bigger resorts.

All of that said, how do you just ignore an SOS and not take the time to check it out and ensure there's nobody stranded? Saying there were no cars or rentals outstanding is a terrible excuse at a resort. I suppose you better rent a car and drive to the ski resort in case you get lost. The authorities were pretty irresponsible on this one.

CGYTransplant · 02-26-2009, 08:32 AM

Couple of things:

-First, the SOS-es weren't visible from the air, that was an incorrect report (according to the Herald this AM). They were spotted on the ground.

-After the SOS was reported to Kicking Horse, the resort investigated. There was no one reported missing by family or friends, no rooms had been left untouched (the couple had checked out right before they went skiing), no cars were unattended in the parking lot (were parked underground), and no rentals were unreturned.

-The manager of Kicking Horse has admitted that they cannot launch a search until someone is officially reported missing, and there is evidence to back it up. Otherwise, they'd be doing nothing but looking for people all over the mountain, even if they aren't in danger (Eg) My kid is late for lunch! OMG! FIND HIM!!!). The RCMP backed this up- they need an official missing persons report to launch a search.

It is sad, there's no denying that. But at the very base of the issue, if the couple had just STAYED IN BOUNDS this never would have happened.

Additionally, the SOS-es had no visible human presence around them. yes, they were obviously MADE by a human, but the people who saw them had no idea how old they were and if there were still people needing help. The search and rescue guy quoted in the Herald said he didn't understand why the couple kept moving after making the SOS signs- if you have a signal for help, you need to STAY by the signal so that people can find you! That was the factor that led to the eventual rescue of the man- he was actually sitting by the SOS.

ok, ok,....I get it · 02-26-2009, 09:24 AM

hmmmmm, maybe, just maybe, you should stay in bounds, especially if you are not packing any back country gear.

Was their trip sponsered by Darwin?

Russic · 02-26-2009, 09:31 AM

wow ... I even think going out of bounds with an avalanche beacon is stupid. Going out of bounds with a granola bar? That's about the most clear-cut example of an avoidable death there is.

4X4 · 02-26-2009, 09:51 AM

It's kinda hard to feel bad for these people. Totally irresponsible to go out of bounds without having told anyone, at all. And not at least bringing a backpack with some basic survival gear and some friggin technology like a beacon....

As for the RCMP, I can see why they don't just start searching without a missing person report. But at the same time, as Gozer said, is there a problem with fake SOSs? If an SOS is reported somewhere, I think it'd be prudent for the RCMP to at least take their chopper over there and physically find the SOS themselves. I mean, we're a first world country. We have helicopters. If someone reported an SOS in the snow, it should get looked at by authorities. If for no other reason than to cover their ass in a situation like this.
They'd at least be able to say that they went out and looked at the SOS but found nobody around it (cause the dummy kept moving).

mykalberta · 02-26-2009, 09:55 AM

Nevermind, not appropriate for this thread.

greyshep · 02-26-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

It's kinda hard to feel bad for these people. Totally irresponsible to go out of bounds without having told anyone, at all. And not at least bringing a backpack with some basic survival gear and some friggin technology like a beacon....

As for the RCMP, I can see why they don't just start searching without a missing person report. But at the same time, as Gozer said, is there a problem with fake SOSs? If an SOS is reported somewhere, I think it'd be prudent for the RCMP to at least take their chopper over there and physically find the SOS themselves. I mean, we're a first world country. We have helicopters. If someone reported an SOS in the snow, it should get looked at by authorities. If for no other reason than to cover their ass in a situation like this.
They'd at least be able to say that they went out and looked at the SOS but found nobody around it (cause the dummy kept moving).

Yep, the victims certainly carry a large portion of the blame here. But to me there is no discounting that the RCMP, etc. bungled this one badly.

A universal distress signal found in remote/rugged country should immediately be investigated at the source, not in a parking lot or a rental shop. Its no different than a 911 call IMO.

SaskaBushFire · 02-26-2009, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Ya, but clearly someone made the SOS signal... it's not like it was done by nature. That alone implies someone is there that needs help. They made assumptions and it bit them in the ass.

When they made the SOS symbol they shouldn't have left it, they should have stayed there to visually wave down the helicopter.

You run a risk staying in one spot, but you also run a huge risk staying on the move, you become increasingly harder to find. Eventually you might run into a helicopter randomly, but by then it might be to late, which tragically in this case it was.

I feel terrible for the man about the loss of his wife.

LChoy · 02-26-2009, 01:34 PM

RCMP admit failure to search for missing skiers was mistake

Quote:

The RCMP said Thursday that failing to start a search for a couple lost for 10 days in the mountains near a B.C. ski resort was a mistake.
"There was an error on behalf of the RCMP in not initiating a call out on Feb. 21," said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk on Thursday morning in Golden, B.C.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...26/rescue.html

ok, ok,....I get it · 02-26-2009, 01:35 PM

As I recall they are from Que......maybe no one knew what LE SOS meant?

BlackArcher101 · 02-26-2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaskaBushFire

When they made the SOS symbol they shouldn't have left it, they should have stayed there to visually wave down the helicopter.

You run a risk staying in one spot, but you also run a huge risk staying on the move, you become increasingly harder to find. Eventually you might run into a helicopter randomly, but by then it might be to late, which tragically in this case it was.

I feel terrible for the man about the loss of his wife.

Sure, I agree. HOWEVER, they were other spottings of NEW SOS markings after the fact, but yet there was still no investigation, when it was clear someone was still out there. It's easy to say now that he shouldn't have moved... but this couple were tourists, unfamiliar with the area, and people do make mistakes. It's reasons like this that the Alberta Gov. now charges people for rescue in the wilderness, to make up for the wrong mistakes some people make.

Think about it... after getting the first report of a SOS... they investigate and decide no one is there. After getting the second report of a SOS... would you not conclude that someone is actually still there? Or would you just assume again that no one is there and the two occurrences in succession are just coincidence?