Old Story Republished: According to the RCMP, three men’s bodies were found at a mudslide close to Lillooet, British Columbia, after search operations this week.
According to a written statement released on Saturday by B.C. Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe, one deceased person was recovered on Wednesday and two others were discovered on Thursday.
In an effort to find a fourth man who was reported missing, the search continued on Friday, but she said the efforts were unsuccessful.
The first confirmed death from the devastating flooding and landslides that occurred throughout the southern half of the province last weekend, partly due to heavy rain, was a woman whose body was also recovered from the slide site on Monday.
According to Lapointe, search operations have now ended because every possibility has been explored, but talks are still in progress to decide how best to move forward.
Now, police are attempting to identify the three men and get in touch with their relatives.
“I also extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who are now grieving the sudden and unexpected death of their loved one, and to the family of the missing person we have so far been unable to locate,” Lapointe said in a statement.
For all of us in British Columbia, this year has been extremely challenging, and my thoughts and prayers are with the numerous families and communities who have experienced terrible losses. At the BC Coroners Service, we will keep working to ascertain the truth about these tragedies for the public record and, if feasible, offer suggestions to stop future deaths of this kind.”
On November 15, a mudslide that swept across a portion of Highway 99, also known as the Duffey Lake Road, left four people missing. Police and search and rescue teams were searching for them.
Weather and site conditions have hindered efforts to locate the fourth missing person, according to B.C. RCMP Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet.
There is currently no timeframe for when the highway will reopen, and the area is still off-limits to cars.
