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The RCMP has confirmed that the bodies of three men have been recovered following a devastating mudslide near Lillooet, B.C., while search efforts continue for one additional person who remains missing.
According to B.C. Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe, the first victim was found on Wednesday, with two more bodies recovered the following day. In a written statement released Saturday, she noted that despite continued operations on Friday, crews were unable to locate the fourth missing man.
Earlier in the week, on Monday, the body of a woman had also been discovered at the same site, marking the first official fatality linked to the flooding and landslides triggered by last weekend’s extreme rainfall across southern B.C.
Lapointe explained that active search operations have now been brought to a close after all possible avenues were exhausted, though authorities are still considering next steps. Efforts are underway to formally identify the three men and notify their families.
The slide, which struck Highway 99—also known as Duffey Lake Road—on November 15, initially left four people unaccounted for. Since then, recovery crews, supported by search-and-rescue teams, have been combing through heavy debris to locate victims.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families who are grieving the sudden and unexpected loss of their loved ones, as well as to the relatives of the missing individual we have not yet found,” Lapointe said in her statement. “This has been an extraordinarily difficult year for people across B.C. Our work at the Coroners Service will continue to focus on uncovering the circumstances behind these tragedies and, where possible, offering recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
RCMP Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet added that ongoing efforts have been slowed by hazardous conditions and poor weather in the area. The affected stretch of highway remains closed to motorists, with no clear indication of when it might reopen.
