Snowboarder who died near Pemberton identified
By Nelson Daily Staff
The BC Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of a man who died following a snowboarding incident near Pemberton on February 23 as Jonathan Unger, aged 29, of Whistler.
Unger was part of a group that was skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling off the Millar Bench Forestry Service Road, about five kilometres from Pemberton.
In the late afternoon, Mr. Unger failed to meet up with another member of the group, who immediately went searching for him.
He was found in a tree well in an area where there was about 1.5 metres of fresh snow.
Resuscitation attempts were begun immediately, but unfortunately Unger could not be revived and was deceased at the scene.
The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate this death.
Mr. Unger’s family 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.
The BC Coroners Service would like to extend special thanks to Pemberton Search and Rescue for their invaluable assistance in this case.
Snowboarder in Pemberton area dies after falling into tree well
RCMP report a skier died Sunday in the Pemberton area after falling into a tree well during a backcountry outing with friends.
Pemberton RCMP were called to the scene of a backcountry incident in the area of Miller’s Ridge Forest Service Road Sunday at 5 p.m.
A group of males had snowmobiled into the area to ski and snowboard.
At one point during the day one of the snowboarders was waiting for his friend who subsequently did not show up.
The man hiked back uphill in the deep snow and found his friend upside down in a tree well.
He managed to pull the 29-year-old victim from Burnaby out of the tree well.
The man was unresponsive, blue and not breathing.
The snowboarder and others began CPR but we’re unable to revive their friend.
Pemberton RCMP, SAR and Fire Dept attended to the Miller’s Ridge Forest Service Road parking lot.
As darkness was falling and the avalanche hazard was increasing, the decision was made to recover the male Monday morning.
SAR, RCMP and the BC Coroner are all currently on scene having gone in by snowmobile.
