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UPDATE: Dad, son killed in avalanche in southeast B.C.

Nine snowmobilers were part of the party in the Purcell Mountains
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Search crews are still looking for one missing person after an avalanche on Mount Brewer. (RCMP)

Two men are dead after a snowmobile accident near Invermere Saturday night.

Columbia Valley RCMP said nine snowmobilers from Calgary were on Mount Brewer in the Purcell Mountains when they appear to have triggered an avalanche by “high marking.”

Avalanche Canada said the resulting “very large deep persistent slab” avalanche was 200 to 400 metres wide and ran for nearly 1,100 metres into a small lake.

A 51-year-old man was found dead with an activated airbag two metres under the surface and his 24-year-old son was found in the lake by the RCMP dive team.

READ MORE: Snowboarder buried in Elk Valley avalanche

READ MORE: B.C. alpine mountains under ‘Extreme’ avalanche rating


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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