Fallen trees and debris are pictured on Monday after a flood swept through the area near Lillooet, B.C. The bodies of three men have been recovered from this mudslide after search efforts this week, RCMP said. The body of a woman was recovered from the site on Monday. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation/Reuters)
The bodies of three men have been recovered at a mudslide near Lillooet, B.C., following search efforts this week, the RCMP said.
One deceased person was recovered on Wednesday, while two others were found on Thursday, B.C. Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a written statement on Saturday.
The search continued on Friday to locate a fourth man who was reported missing, but those attempts were unsuccessful, she said.
On Monday, the body of a woman was also recovered from the slide site — becoming the first confirmed fatality as a result of catastrophic flooding and landslides across the southern half of the province caused, in part, by extreme rain last weekend.
Search efforts have now concluded as all avenues have been exhausted, Lapointe said, but discussions are underway to determine how best to proceed going forward.
Police are now trying to identify the three men and notify their next of kin.
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“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 the statement.
“This has been an incredibly difficult year for all of us in B.C., and my heart goes out to the many families and communities who have suffered tragic losses. At the BC Coroners Service, we will continue to do our best to determine the facts of these tragedies for the public record and, where possible, make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.”
Police, along with search-and-rescue crews, had been looking for four missing people connected to a mudslide that swept across a section of Highway 99 — also known as the Duffey Lake Road — on Nov. 15.
B.C. RCMP Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said efforts to find the fourth missing person have been hampered by weather and site conditions.
The area remains closed to motorists with no timeline on when the highway will reopen.
Three men have been confirmed dead and one remains missing following a devastating mudslide near Lillooet, B.C., according to RCMP. The slide, which occurred on November 15 on Highway 99 (Duffey Lake Road), was triggered by extreme rainfall and severe weather
B.C. Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe reported that one body was recovered Wednesday, followed by two more on Thursday. A fourth man remains unaccounted for despite continued search efforts, which were ultimately halted after all avenues were exhausted.
Earlier in the week, on Monday, the body of a woman was recovered from the slide site, marking the first confirmed fatality from the region’s landslides and flooding.
Search efforts, led by RCMP and rescue teams, have faced major challenges due to dangerous site conditions and ongoing bad weather. Authorities are now working to identify the deceased and notify their families.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families grieving the loss of their loved ones,” said Lapointe in a statement. “This has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us in B.C.”
The B.C. Coroners Service continues to investigate the fatalities and aims to provide recommendations to prevent future tragedies.
Highway 99 remains closed, and there is no timeline for reopening. The area is still unsafe for motorists due to the unstable terrain.
The incident is part of a series of weather-related disasters that have caused widespread disruption across southern B.C., emphasizing the growing impact of extreme climate events on local communities.