In the days and weeks following the avalanche where one person was reported missing, police and North Peace Search and Rescue (SAR) conducted regular searches both in the air and on the ground in efforts to locate the 31-year-old Fort St John man.

The snowmobile the man was operating was located in the early stage of the search efforts, but the man remained missing.

On Thursday, June 18, RCMP air support was conducting another fly over in the area where the sled was recovered and saw, what appeared to be an article of clothing in the area. Police from Chetwynd were taken to the scene where they recovered the body of the missing man.

"The man had been covered in deep snow, and the warmer weather and melting conditions, allowed us to find him." said A/Sgt Ruppenthal, NCO i/c Chetwynd Detachment.

The RCMP wish to thank North Peace Search and Rescue and everyone who helped with the search efforts. The BC Coroners service has conduct of the investigation and no further information will be released at this time.

February 11:

Despite coordinated efforts over the past week, a search for a missing snowmobiler south of Chetwynd has been scaled back.

As of day’s end on Saturday February 8, 2020, the search for a missing 31-year-old Fort St. John man, who authorities believe was buried in an avalanche, triggered on Sunday February 2, 2020, has been scaled back.

Search and rescue volunteers from Prince George, Tumbler Ridge, Fort St. John and Chetwynd all deployed, alongside upwards of three RCMP Police Service Dogs from all areas of the province to assist in the ground search. The search was also supported from the air by a RCMP helicopter and other local helicopter companies. Searchers managed to recover the missing man’s snowmobile, which has since been removed from the area on Saturday February 8.

Search efforts have been hampered by poor weather conditions throughout the week and prevented searchers from safely accessing the area on both Wednesday and Thursday. A controlled blasting was necessary in order to deem the area safe for searchers to re-gain access on Friday February 7 and then again on Saturday February 8.

RCMP Air Services were utilized to transport search and rescue technicians trained in high risk avalanche rescues, along with RCMP Police Services Dogs to the remote site of the slide. The search was also supported by a canine trained by the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association (CARDA).

Search and rescue efforts are no longer underway, states Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesperson for the BC RCMP. Despite all efforts to locate this missing person, police now believe their search for the Fort St. John man is a recovery operation. The search is not over, and RCMP will monitor the area of the slide from the air as the snowpack melts.

RCMP are asking back country users to avoid the area of the slide. We discourage others from searching the area, due to the high level of risk for additional avalanches being triggered.

Chetwynd RCMP continue to provide the missing man’s family with updates, while RCMP Victim Services provide ongoing support.