By Jill Hayward – North Thompson Star/Journal
A freak snowmobile accident took the life of a Kamloops man on Sunday, Jan. 28, in the backcountry northeast of Barriere.
The man was traveling with three others and two snowmobiles in the Harp Mountain area when the accident took place.
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Reports say the man was pinned under a snowmobile in a creek and the people that were with him were unable to free him from the machine.
One person then stayed with the man, and the two others took off on their sled to try to get into an area where their cell phones worked to call for assistance to free their trapped friend.
Alan Hobler of Kamloops Search and Rescue reported the call came in to them at approximately 1 p.m. to support Barriere Search and Rescue in an area that is north east of Barriere.
Wells Grey Search and Rescue, RCMP and B.C. Air Ambulance also attended.
Hobler noted that the weather conditions were less than ideal at the time, and because of the poor visibility the Air Ambulance was unable to reach the trapped man.
Search and Rescue had to deploy their own snowmobile team to access the area, which was in difficult terrain.
Finding the site proved even more difficult, according to some who attended, due to the weather, the terrain, and no cell service into the area for GPS coordinates.
When search crews arrived at the site around 7 p.m. the sledder was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The man was reportedly with friends on the outing.
Andy Watson of the BC Coroners Service said they have not yet released the man’s name but did state the man was in his 50s.
One of the people involved in the rescue advises anyone going into the backcountry on a snowmobile or ATV to be well prepared for any eventuality with equipment that may be required in the case of a rollover or accident.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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