Emergency search-and-rescue teams operating in hazardous alpine terrain south of Lillooet have recovered three male bodies following a catastrophic mudslide along Highway 99. This grim discovery brings the confirmed death toll to four, while one person remains unaccounted for after days of exhaustive and dangerous search operations.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, working alongside regional volunteer personnel and provincial emergency agencies, officially concluded active ground and aerial operations along Duffey Lake Road. This difficult decision followed the complete exhaustion of all viable search methods amidst deteriorating environmental conditions and acute secondary risks.
The fatal debris flow struck approximately 42 kilometers south of Lillooet on November 15, triggered by torrential downpours that unleashed a massive wall of mud and boulders. Tons of debris sheared off the steep mountainside, directly striking an active section of the highway and sweeping multiple vehicles into ravines.