Avalanche Kills Snowmobiler

A snowmobiler is the 16th avalanche fatality in British Columbia this winter.

Jerry Manarin, 39, of Quesnel, 45 miles west of this northern B.C. town, was dead on arrival at a hospital Saturday.

Manarin wasn’t wearing a personal transmitter and it took about 45 minutes for his four snowmobiling companions to dig him out, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Andre Langevin said.

Manarin got caught in a large snowslide at Round Top mountain, about 15 miles east of Wells. The others managed to avoid it, Langevin said.

The 16 avalanche fatalities this season, including both snowmobilers and skiers, compares with the average winter toll of about 10 in the province.

Quesnel is 255 miles north of Vancouver.