Two Remain Missing on Mt. Renshaw

By 250 News

McBride, B.C.-  Search teams will  survey the  conditions on Mount Renshaw  this morning to establish whether it is safe for teams to enter the area where two men remain missing following an avalanche Tuesday afternoon.

RCMP say the two missing males  have not been located and remain unaccounted for. Rescue personnel have not been able to access the area of the slide due to the instability of the snow pack.

The surviving snowmobiler advised the avalanche occurred at approximately 4:30 pm on Tuesday March 24th, 2009. All three (3) men caught in the incident were from Alberta, are in their 30's and have approximately 20 years snowmobiling experience. The males have frequented this area in the past and are familiar with the terrain.

The names of the three  males are being withheld at this time at the request of their families. Investigators continue to assist the families with notifying relatives of this incident.

The three snowmobile enthusiasts were equipped with safety equipment, including beacons, probes and shovels. In fact, the surviving male used a shovel to dig out a snow machine and ride to safety, after trying to locate and free his colleagues.

Search coordinators, police, avalanche technicians and other Provincial officials are meeting this morning to establish what direction they will take today.

The slide hit an  area on Mt Renshaw about 40 km from where two horses were  rescued in December.

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