Canada avalanche disaster bodies are found

The bodies of seven snowmobile riders were found today after they were swept away by avalanches in western Canada.

They were found as searchers ploughed through avalanche debris near Fernie in British Columbia’s Elk Valley. An eighth man is still missing.

Eleven snowmobile riders were hit by back-to-back avalanches on Sunday. Eight were buried but three from the group clawed through the snow and reached safety.

Search efforts – which involved several dozen rescue officials and volunteers as well as search dogs – had been delayed by the threat of more avalanches.

Rescuers who rushed to the steep, rocky, bowl-like area discovered the bodies buried deep beneath the hard-packed surface. The deepest was found under 11 feet of snow.

Three were located almost immediately because they were wearing a special avalanche transceiver that sends out an electronic signal.

The first avalanche buried a group of seven snowmobile riders on Sunday afternoon, while they were resting at the foot of a hill, said David Wilks, mayor of Sparwood, home to all 11 men.

“It appears a cornice let loose – an overhang on the top of the mountain – and buried them,” he said.

Another group of four snowmobile riders heard their shouts, hurried over and started digging and were hit by a second avalanche.

Two men dug themselves out and then pulled a third man free. Rescuers found them by their emergency communication devices.

Mr Wilks, who spoke to one of the survivors, said he was told they were buried twice and were fortunate enough to be able to dig themselves out after about 20 minutes after the second avalanche hit.

“They’re very distraught that they weren’t able to stay and try and find or help their buddies, but ... one of them was injured and they felt there was an imminent risk of another avalanche coming down,” said Wilks. “They had lost their gloves, they had lost everything so they were starting to dig by hand.”

The three men sustained minor injuries.

Mr Wilks said all 11 men knew each other in the small coal-mining town of 4,000, and some were related to one another. He described them as skilled outdoorsmen and said many had families, including two whose wives gave birth to their first children just a few months ago.