VICTORIA - On the eve of the Victoria Day long weekend, the BC Coroners Service is warning residents to take extreme care near streams and rivers which are currently running much faster and higher than normal.
People can significantly underestimate the force that can be unleashed by a fast-running river, said Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe, and do not realize how different it is from the quiet stream where they regularly swim, raft or paddle.
Three such deaths already have occurred this spring: two young men swept away in Golden Ears Provincial Park, and a young woman who fell into Swift Current Creek near Valemount.
If a river is running quickly, about 15 1/4 centimetres (or six inches) of water can sweep a person downstream, and a little over six-tenths of a metre (or two feet) of water can carry away most vehicles.
Although the bank of a fast-running creek may look stable, such banks are often eroded by the water and can collapse with the added weight of persons standing on them. Moving water or standing pools of water also can contain dangerous debris, so no one should try to walk or drive through them.
The warning comes as the BC Coroners Service releases its newest report into Accidental Drowning Deaths, covering the five-year period from 2008 through 2012. The report looks at a total of 397 deaths over the five-year period. Of those, 58.7 per cent occurred in the summer months of May through August.
The statistics make clear the danger of mixing alcohol or drugs with water-related activities. Of all deaths recorded, impairment by alcohol or drugs was a factor in 40.2 per cent of the cases.
The full report can be found on the BC Coroners Service website at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/coroners/publications/docs/stats-water-related-fatalities.pdf
Media Contact:
Barbara McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
"I have accepted the resignation of the Honourable Steven Point from his position as chair of the advisory committee on the safety and security of vulnerable women. His last day will be May 30, 2013.
"I appreciate the decisions of the four families of missing women who have chosen to pursue civil suits related to the Pickton case, but I am disappointed that the no doubt unintended consequences of these claims have led Mr. Point to conclude that he must step aside.
"When matters proceed to court, the litigation process takes precedence over all other related processes. The plaintiffs have put Mr. Point on notice that, in his role as chair of the advisory committee, his comments and remarks may well become evidence in the course of the litigation. This would have placed an impossible burden on Mr. Point to avoid making statements that could be misinterpreted or be used in or influence the course of litigation.
"As well, this pursuit of litigation will impact the government's current process in responding to the recommendations from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (MWCI), and we now have to analyze how we will continue to move forward while the court case is underway.
"That said, I can tell you that our government remains committed to creating a legacy of safety and security for vulnerable women. We have always known that necessary changes won't be easy and they wouldn't happen overnight.
"I want to thank Mr. Point for the work he has done to date as a champion for implementation of the MWCI recommendations, and I know the foundation he has built in the past five months will serve us well as we move forward within the constraints of our ability due to these active civil suits.
"As Attorney General and due to the legal sensitivities of this situation, I am unable to make any further comment at this time."
Media Contact:
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6961
See backgrounder attached for the text of the Hon. Steven Point's resignation letter.
BACKGROUNDER
Text of the letter from the Honourable Steven Point to Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley BondIt is with regret that I find it necessary to advise you that litigation has been commenced by certain family members of the victims of Pickton, and I have been served with documents that have put me on notice regarding this litigation.
As a consequence of this development I have concluded that it is impossible to continue in my role as special advisor to government in relation to the recommendations by Commissioner Oppal in his report on Murdered and Missing Women.
I have consulted with the Ministry of Justice who have agreed that in light of the current litigation process it is not possible to proceed further and therefore we have jointly reached the conclusion that I must resign and I have done so, effective May 30, 2013.
I sincerely regret the events that have necessitated my reaching this decision however once litigation has been chosen, I cannot see a path that allows me to fulfil the role that I was asked to undertake.
Sincerely,
Steven Point
]]>They were Tracy Nichol, aged 45, and Christian Robert Tallick, aged 15, both residing in Anglemont, near Chase.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate these deaths.
The families of both deceased persons have been notified of the deaths. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Larry Marzinzik
Regional Coroner, Interior Region
BC Coroners Service
250 861-7429
They were Trevor Norman, aged 49, and his daughter Zarah, aged 10. The family resides in North Vancouver.
The two were on a weekend skiing and snow-camping trip near Blackcomb Mountain, and had set up their tent-camp at the base of a 20-metre rock face on the evening of May 11. A family member reported them missing when they had not checked in as planned on May 12.
A search was launched, and they were located at the campsite on May 13. Both were deceased at the scene. Preliminary investigation shows they were struck by a large boulder that had dislodged from the rock face above and landed on their tent.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate these deaths.
The family of Trevor and Zarah Norman have been notified of their deaths. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
The BC Coroners Service expresses its condolences to the family and friends of Trevor and Zarah Norman, and its thanks to the Whistler-Blackcomb Ski Patrol and Whistler RCMP, as well as the search-and-rescue and helicopter teams from Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton and Lions Bay for their assistance with this most tragic case.
For further information, please contact:
Barb McLintock
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
He was Herbert Edwin Rachel, aged 72, of Wildwood, Alberta, a small community about 112 kilometres west of Edmonton.
Mr. Rachel was the driver of a car which was involved in a collision with another vehicle at the intersection of the Trans Canada Highway and Holman Road in Kamloops about 10 a.m. on May 10.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP Traffic Services continue to investigate this death.
The family of Mr. Rachel has been notified of his death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Barb McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
He was Clinton Bradley Albert Schoening, aged 34, a resident of West Kelowna.
Mr. Schoening was the operator of a motorcycle, which was proceeding northbound on Lakeside Road in Penticton, in the late evening hours of May 11. An RCMP officer proceeding in the opposite direction noticed the motorcycle, activated the cruiser's emergency equipment and turned around to follow it.
Some distance further down the road, the motorcycle left the road and hit a road sign. Mr. Schoening was deceased at the scene.
The BC Coroners Service and the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) continue to investigate the circumstances of this death.
The family of Mr. Schoening has been notified of his death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Barb McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
They are: Michael Spencer, aged 24, from Sicamous and Christopher Thomas Boman, aged 24, of Salmon Arm.
Mr. Spencer was the driver of, and Mr. Boman the front-seat passenger in, a pickup truck, which was involved in a head-on collision with a semi-trailer on Highway 1 in the Hoffman's Bluffs area west of Chase shortly after 9 p.m. on May 6. Both men were deceased at the scene.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate these deaths.
The families of Mr. Spencer and Mr. Boman have been notified of their deaths. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Larry Marzinzik
Regional Coroner, Interior Region
BC Coroners Service
250 861-7429
The BC River Forecast Centre has issued Streamflow Advisory for the Okanagan, Similkameen, Boundary and Kootenay regions, as well as the Thompson Region.
Residents, recreationalists and visitors to these regions are urged to use extreme caution on or near all waterways. Flood waters can be fast-rising and fast-moving, carry large debris and make shorelines unstable. People are asked to stay away from the water's edge where increased flood risks have been identified and to provide special care for the safety of children and pets along rivers and creeks that can prove unpredictably dangerous.
People should take the following precautions:
Emergency Management BC works year-round with local governments to prepare for emergencies. To report severe flooding in your area, contact your local authority. Listings can be found in the blue pages of the phone book.
For more information on how you and your family can get prepared, or to monitor emergency alerts and advisories in the province, visit: www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca
For additional information about streamflows, please refer to the B.C. River Forecast Centre's webpage at: http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/warnings/
Contact:
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6961
The man is Douglas James Gordon, aged 80, a long-time resident of Craycroft Island, northwest of Sayward across Johnstone Strait.
Mr. Gordon was reported missing to RCMP on May 4 when his neighbours noticed his boat tied up near his house, idling and secured by only a stern line. Mr. Gordon was nowhere to be found. A search began that day, and continued until May 7 when Mr. Gordon was found by a search-and-rescue dive team on the ocean floor near where the boat had been moored.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP are continuing to investigate this death. Foul play has been ruled out in the case.
The family of Mr. Gordon has been notified of his death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Matt Brown
Regional Coroner, Island Region
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9133
They are Brendan Daniel Wilson and Austin Kurtis Kingsborough, both 17, and both from Langley.
The two were reported to police as missing on April 21 when they failed to return to Langley as planned after a weekend trip to a family cabin on Nicola Lake. The next day their canoe was found, half-submerged in the lake, and some personal belongings were also found. An official search was carried on for four days at that time, but the boys were not found.
On May 5, a private team from Idaho arrived in the area, equipped with sophisticated sonar equipment. On the morning of May 6, with the use of this equipment, the team was able to locate the site for the recovery operation, and the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team then completed the recoveries.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate these deaths.
For further information, please contact:
Barb McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
He was Alan Shang Fung Tam, aged 26, from Saanich.
Mr. Tam was the operator of a motorcycle that went off road to the right on Shelbourne Street just north of North Dairy Road about 11:15 p.m. on May 4, impacting a large tree. He was transported to Victoria General Hospital by ambulance, but was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after arrival.
The BC Coroners Service and Saanich Police continue to investigate this death.
The family of Mr. Tam has been notified of his death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Matt Brown
Regional Coroner, Island Region
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9133
She was Angela Elizabeth Johnson, aged 28, of Cluculz Lake.
Ms. Johnson was the sole occupant of a quad ATV which tipped over on Jardine Road in the Cluculz Lake area shortly after 3 p.m. on May 4. Ms. Johnson was transported by ambulance to St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof, but died from her injuries.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate this death.
The family of Ms. Johnson has been notified of her death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Barb McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
He was Christopher Richard Godwin, aged 57, of Quesnel.
Mr. Godwin was the driver and sole occupant of a pickup truck which left the road, struck a power pole and rolled down an embankment on Paradise Road in Quesnel in the early morning hours of April 27. Mr. Godwin was deceased at the scene.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate this death.
The family of Mr. Godwin has been notified of his death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Donita Kuzma
Regional Coroner, Northern Region
BC Coroners Service
250 565-6040
The deceased are three adults and two children, all from Surrey:
Pawandeep Arjot, aged 31
Annish Sachdeva, aged five
Jessica Sachdeva, aged three
Neelam Rani Dhingra, aged 47
Vidya Wanti Sachdeva, aged 68
Ms. Arjot was the driver of, and the other four were passengers in, a car which was hit broadside by a mini-van at the intersection of 32nd Ave. and 176th Street (Pacific Highway) in Surrey at about 11 a.m. on April 28. All five were deceased at the scene.
Annish and Jessica were the children of Ms. Arjot and her husband. Ms. Dhingra was Ms. Arjot's sister-in-law and Vidya Sachdeva was her mother-in-law.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP Traffic Services continue to investigate this incident.
The families of the deceased have been notified of the deaths. On behalf of the families, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
The BC Coroners Service expresses its condolences to the families and friends of those involved in this tragic crash.
For further information, please contact:
Barb McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253
She was Vivian Leigh Cudmore, aged 63, from Port Alberni.
At about 4 p.m. on April 22, the Port Alberni fire department responded to a structure fire at a fourplex on Melrose Street in Port Alberni. They found one suite, in which Ms. Cudmore resided, fully involved in the fire. When the fire had been extinguished, the body of Ms. Cudmore was located in the suite.
The BC Coroners Service, Port Alberni Fire Department and Port Alberni RCMP are continuing to investigate this death.
The family of Ms. Cudmore is aware of her death. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
For further information, please contact:
Matt Brown
Regional Coroner, Island Region
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9133