Seven dead...

[Blisterz]

REVELSTOKE, B.C. - Seven people are dead Saturday following an avalanche near Revelstoke, British Columbia.

The group of back-country skiers included 14 Grade 10 students and three counsellors from Strathcona - Tweedsmuir School, a private school south of Calgary.

Six boys and one girl died. The 10 survivors were airlifted to Glacier Park Lodge.




The half-kilometre wide avalanche occurred in the Rogers Pass area known as Knock Creek in Glacier National Park. Park wardens, guides, soldiers and rescue dogs took part in the search for survivors.

Officials first learned of the avalanche at 11:45 a.m. local time, Pat Dunn, information officer for Glacier National Park, told CBC Newsworld.

The avalanche risk in the area was rated as "considerable," said Dunn. It's cause is not yet known.

It's the second avalanche near Revelstoke in less than a month.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/02/01/avalanche_030201

How Tragic

[Zylka]

I hope your point is taken on this thread

Actually (to cheer things up)... my good friend's TWIN sisters graduated Tweedsmuir last year

(You bet I did!!!)

[Zero]

wow, there's something about twins, that attracts most men to them. Im certainly one of them and I cant explain why.

FYI I never... *ahem* with Twins. So how was it like?

Sorry for threadjacking btw.

[Sirotnikov]

[rant]

What's the point?

I'm sure that some seven thousands people died in hunger and poverty in china on saturday.

[ranskaldan]

Feb 2, 2003 - 11.32 AM Beijing Time (Feb 1, 2003 - 10.32 AM EST)

(From the Southern Daily)

A Fireworks explosion in Guangdong Province took seven lives today, of whom four are young children, as well as injuring more than 20 others.

The explosion rocked the Town of Taiping, at a stall selling fireworks. It occurred during the morning rush-hour, as the fire quickly spread to nearby clothing stores and other fireworks stalls.

The reasons for the explosion are still under investigation.

[Zylka]

Siro, you more than anyone else must realize that it's bit of a wake up call to the importance we put on some lives more than others?

[Dis]

bump.

Well yesterday I admitted to caring about 7 other deaths more than 7 others like this. I still don't think this is because of nationality- I go into detail on this in the other thread. I don't need to repeat myself. It has to deal with symbolism etc.

Well today, I feel a little differently. I hear they are cross country skiers, so I have more respect for them. . I just don't consider downhill skiing much of a challenge. Although it is more fun of course.

[Asher]

They were crosscountry skiiers, in 10th grade, on a school trip, in a public area (not blocked off) that's very popular with tourists.

Half of the kids who went on the trip will never come back, the other 7 kids who survived (and the 3 guardians) will probably be horribly traumatized by it and have nightmares for the rest of their lives.

That impacts me more than some astronauts who died knowing the risks, plus they were mostly in their late 40s rather than 14...

[Blisterz]

UPdate

Update (and no I Was not trying to make a point by this thread, I didn't know anything about the space ship thingy when I posted it).



REVELSTOKE, B.C. - The seven high school students killed in an avalanche in southeastern B.C. on Saturday all died of asphyxiation, according to the B.C. coroner.

At a briefing details of the power of the 500-metre-wide slide emerged.

It was an avalanche of incredible power. In just four seconds, it slid one kilometre and was strong enough to destroy homes or wreck a train.


(CP PHOTO)

Eric Dafoe, the public safety co-ordinator at Glacier National Park, says two local experienced skiers saw the avalanche coming and shouted down to warn the young group.

One "was able to yell out 'Avalance, avalanche, avalanche,' three times to warn them. But he felt there was just a matter of seconds before the dust cloud engulfed them," he said.


RELATED STORY: Deaths mark worst year for fatalities in Glacier National Park

All 17 in the group were partially or fully buried. Coroner Dave Purse says the six boys and one girl all died of asphyxiation.

For Purse, it's the second time in two weeks he's had to face such a tragedy. "It's very tough. It's very difficult. It's 14 deaths in two weeks here."

It raises the question why young students were even on the slope. The risk of avalanche was rated "considerable." That means natural avalanches are possible.


Students arrive outside Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in Okotoks, Alberta Sunday (CP PHOTO)

Meanwhile, a small school community south of Calgary is grieving after the tragic deaths of the students. The students were taking part in an annual outdoor education trip in a well-skied area of the Rogers Pass.

"Although we still do not have all the details we are absolutely stricken with grief. Our school is a small family and a loss this extreme is impacting on us tremendously. No doubt this will have ripples throughout Southern Alberta, and our hearts go out to all of those who have been impacted in this way," said school principal Glenn Odland.

The seven students were all grade 10 students at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir, a private school in Okotoks. The school has launched its own investigation and cancelled all field trips until further notice.

Avalanche Victims

- Jeff Trickett
- Daniel Arato
- Michael Shaw
- Scott Broshko
- Marissa Staddon
- Alex Pattillo
- Ben Albert



Prime Minister Jean Chrétien sent his condolences. He said he and his wife Aline send their sympathies to the families of the young victims.

Chrétien said it's unthinkable that a school trip of enthusiastic teens with a great love of the outdoors should end in such tragedy.

RELATED

• Coverage from CBC Calgary


"It is with great sadness that I learned of a second deadly avalanche in British Columbia in such a short time. That a school trip of enthusiastic teenagers with a great love of the outdoors should end in such tragedy is unthinkable. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families, with the students and staff of Strathcona-Tweedsmuir school, and with the communities that have suffered such a terrible loss. We wish a speedy and complete recovery for the injured," he said in a statement.

Dave Skjonsberg, with the Canadian Avalanche Centre, says park officials don't usually prevent people from going into backcountry avalanche areas. "We provide the best level of information that we have available, but it's an expectation that the user make their own decision in terms of destinations, trip procedures, and the type of equipment," he said.




Odland said the group was highly skilled and knew what they were doing.

"They assessed, they consulted experts, and they made a choice and went. "I'm okay with the process that leads to that. It's a sound one. I'm certainly no okay with the fact seven people ended up dead because of it."

The avalanche area is closed, but it will reopen soon.

In spite of the risks, backcountry skiing is an unregulated sport. No one can shut down a mountain.

Participants say it's part of the joy, to find a mountain where you're the first to ski in the untouched snow.

Even Clair Israelson of the Canadian Avalanche Centre, though clearly mourning the deaths of the students, defended the sport.

"I'm a backcountry skier. There are tens of thousands of British Columbians that go into the mountains because it brings value to our lives. I'd hate to see that privilege taken away from us."

Many say there is a way to make the sport safer. More than 10 years ago, avalanche research in Canada was severely cut by the federal government. They say put more resources back into studying the slides so the warnings are explicit and people believe the danger is real.



Written by CBC News Online staff

[Dis]

asphyxiation. Not a very good way to die. At least the Astronauts probably blacked out instantly when that fuselage was breached.

[Asher]

The seven high school students killed in an avalanche in southeastern B.C. on Saturday all died of asphyxiation

What a terrible way to die.

[Blisterz]

Update

OKOTOKS, ALBERTA -

Classes have resumed at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in southern Alberta, just two days after seven students from the exclusive high school were killed in an avalanche in Glacier National Park in British Columbia.

Strathcona-Tweedsmuir has fewer than 700 students and many of those who go there speak of it as an extended family.




"There's a lot of tears, emotions right now. The school is quiet, lots of hugging, people are discussing many memories of them," said Grade 12 student Angie Dilwali.

Another Grade 12 student Mecher Ayi, says everyone's been shaken by the deaths, but he supports the school's outdoor program and the people who run it. "This was an accident and accidents happen. Nothing could have been done to prevent this."

Several investigations have been launched to try to find out what happened; if something could have been done to prevent the tragedy; and why did the trip leaders decide to ski into the valley that day.

The school has been making the trip every year for the past 20 years.

"We went through the same process we go through in any area that has risk. We assess the risk level, and those on site, most qualified, made the judgment and proceeded," said Glen Odland, the principal of the senior classes at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir.

The adults who led the trip survived the avalanche, as did seven other students. Many of them spent the day at the bedside of one of the injured students, who is recovering from surgery for a broken ankle.

On Monday, British Columbia Solicitor General Rich Coleman said he is considering emergency funding for an avalanche bulletin to be published in the province every day.

Coleman says he may be able to announce later this week that funding has been found for the rest of the season.

He admits the B.C. government cut its funding for the three-day-per-week publication by $17,000 this year.

But Coleman adds no matter how much information is available, some people will still decide the risk is worth the backcountry experience.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov
[rant]

What's the point?

I'm sure that some seven thousands people died in hunger and poverty in china on saturday.

Are you being sarcastic? I'm guesing you are, because you don't usually take that sort of outlook... and you have a "in memorium" sig. But it doesn't sound sarcastic.

[Switch]

THis announcement brings me to mind of people ranting about the immaturity of the astronauts having a risky job even with kids.....Some people talknig on the news were even more disgusting: even with kids, they ski the dangerous parts of the mountains. With the astronauts, that was their job, and there wasn't a lot they could do to keep safe....but these parents skiing! IF YOU HAVE KIDS, DON'T TAKE UNNECESSARY RISKS JUST FOR YOUR OWN ENJOYMENT!!!!! Just ski the mountains marked safe, for peet's sake! Is your fun mroe important than your kid's future upbringing!!!!!