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0 The second police officer caught in a backcountry avalanche near Kaslo, B.C., earlier this month has died of his injuries, the Nelson Police Department said.
Const. Mathieu Nolet, 28, was skiing with his colleague Wade Tittemore in a mountain pass 60 kilometres north of Nelson on Jan. 9, when the two were swept down the mountain in a large avalanche.
“Const. Nolet suffered severe internal injuries and died this morning in Hospital in Kelowna,” said the Nelson Police Department in a news release sent out Saturday.
Tittemore, 43, died of injuries on the scene and was posthumously promoted to detective.
“It is hard to fully express the sadness we are feeling here,” said Nelson Police Chief Donovan Fisher.
“The memorial for Const. Tittemore was this past week, and now we’ve lost a second officer and friend. It is devastating.”
Tittemore and Nolet were avid backcountry skiers, had plenty of experience and training and were both carrying probes, beacons and other avalanche safety gear.
The day of the avalanche, Nolet was found and rescued by four people who witnessed the slide.
According to the NPD, he had worked in Nelson for just over a year after serving with the Calgary Police Service and chose to live in Nelson because of his love for the backcountry and dedication to community policing.
“We have one of the smallest municipal police forces in the country,” said Mayor Janice Morrison. “This tragedy has hit us hard; our deepest condolences go out to Const. Nolet’s family.”
More to come.
