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Man dies after falling into a sinkhole while skiing at resort in southeast B.C.

FERNIE, B.C. — A skier has died after falling into what police say was a snow sinkhole at the Fernie Alpine Resort in British Columbia's East Kootenay region.
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British Columbia's provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa on July 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

FERNIE, B.C. — A skier has died after falling into what police say was a snow sinkhole at the Fernie Alpine Resort in British Columbia's East Kootenay region.

RCMP say in a statement that an ambulance was called for the 67-year-old man on Wednesday when he was found buried in snow in a natural terrain trap.

The statement says the six-by-nine-metre trap was under one of the lift towers of the Polar Peak ski lift and was filled with loose undisturbed snow.

Police say "tremendous efforts" by the ski patrol and BC Ambulance paramedics were made to keep the man alive, including the use of a defibrillator.

He was rushed to the local hospital but was taken off life support a few hours later.

Poor visibility at the time may have played a role in the man's death, and police say their officers and the coroner are investigating the death.

This report by The 91Ô­´´ Press was first published Jan. 10, 2025.

The 91Ô­´´ Press