One dead, one hurt in avalanche in southeastern British Columbia

NELSON, B.C. – One man has been killed and one woman rescued from the scene of an avalanche in southeastern British Columbia.

Search manager Chris Armstrong says four skiers were trekking through a high, remote section of Kootenay Pass between Salmo and Creston early Sunday afternoon when two were hit by a slide that swept them over a cliff and into trees below.

Armstrong says the two remaining members of the group skied to the highway to call for help, while six other skiers who were near the slide began rescue efforts.

The woman was located, but fading light and poor conditions forced search and rescue teams that arrived at the scene to move her to safety by snowmobile.

The body of the man remains at the scene.

The Canadian Avalanche Centre issued a warning last week advising skiers, boarders and sledders to use extreme caution in the backcountry because as much as three metres of snow on top of a weak crust has created the potential for massive slides.