Latest news with #RCMP
Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Multiple hikers feared dead as rockslide pummels Canada's Banff National park
Multiple people are feared dead after a horrific rockslide on Thursday swept up numerous hikers who had been enjoying Canada 's Banff National Park. The rockfall, north of Lake Louise, was triggered near Bow Glacier Falls at around 1:30pm and 'multiple hikers' were caught in it, said the Lake Louise Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). A joint statement by RCMP and Parks Canada confirmed one person died at the scene, and three others were evacuated to the hospital. Their conditions have not been shared at this time. Rescuers in Alberta are set to resume their search on Friday until dark for anyone else who may have been caught in the rockfall. Video posted online of the incident showed a large shelf of stone rocketing down a mountainside, which then caused a huge cloud of gray dust to rise into the air.
CTV News
an hour ago
- Health
- CTV News
One dead, three injured in Banff National Park rockslide
One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. It happened around 1 p.m. on Thursday at Bow Glacier Falls. Parks Canada's Lake Louise Yoho Kootenay Field Unit said the location was 'approximately 37 km north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North).' Parks Canada and RCMP issued a joint statement on Thursday night. 'One person was located deceased at the scene. Two individuals were evacuated by STARS air ambulance and one by ground ambulance, and their conditions are unknown at this time,' the statement said. Deadly rockslide in Banff National Park, June 19, 2025 One person died and three others taken to hospital after a rockslide near the Bow Lake Glacier, a popular hiking spot in Banff National Park, on June 19, 2025. (Supplied) STARS air ambulance sent helicopters from Calgary and Edmonton. Thursday evening, STARS said its crews had returned to their respective bases after having transported people from the staging site at the rockslide. 'Each helicopter transported one patient to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary,' STARS said. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. STARS also could not provide the conditions of the patients. Alberta Health Services confirmed the involvement of EMS in the response but likewise could not provide additional information. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. Parks Canada and RCMP said they would search to confirm that no other hikers remain missing until dark and then resume at first light. They said anyone missing a loved one should contact Parks Canada's Banff Dispatch at 403-762-1470. 'Parks Canada and RCMP are operating drone searches and dog handlers are assisting when and where it is safe to do so,' the statement said. 'Geotechnical assessments will take place when assessors arrive.' Parks Canada and RCMP said Alpine Club of Canada guests staying at Bow Hut are safe and will be able to exit on schedule. 'Bow Lake is closed to all visitors. A NOTAM (no-fly zone) is in place to ensure public safety and for park operations. Heavy precipitation, including snow, is expected on the Icefields Parkway. Please check the weather forecast and Alberta 511 before travelling,' the statement said. 'Banff National Park remains open and safe to visit. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93N) remains open with intermittent, short-term traffic stoppages in the vicinity of the incident.' One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. Dan Shugar, a geomorphologist and associate professor at the University of Calgary, said rockslides are common in terrain such as what's found in that area. 'Bow Glacier Falls is quite a popular hiking spot along the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper,' Shugar said. 'Anyone who's been to that area knows it's extremely steep—Bow Glacier Falls in particular. When you hike there, you do hear lots of rocks tumbling off the waterfalls. 'It appears a pretty large chunk of rock to hikers' right of the falls—maybe 100 or 200 metres to the right—is what collapsed.' But Shugar said it's not so common that rockslides result in injuries or fatalities. He said it's 'always a shock' when they do. 'I doubt there would have been anything to forecast such an event,' he said. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. Parks Canada and RCMP offered their condolences in their statement. 'Parks Canada and RCMP are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. Our hearts go out to the friends and families of all involved,' the statement said. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. One person is dead and three people are in hospital in the aftermath of a rockslide in Banff National Park, and the search for others continues. Banff-Kananaskis MLA Sarah Elmeligi posted to social media on Thursday afternoon: 'I am just learning about this tragic event at Bow Falls in Banff National Park. My heart aches every time someone is hurt or worse in our beautiful mountains,' Elmeligi wrote. Edmonton Centre MP and federal cabinet minister Eleanor Olszewski posted, 'My heart is with everyone affected by the rockslide near Bow Glacier Falls in Banff. Grateful to Parks Canada, STARS air ambulance, and all first responders supporting the emergency response.' Premier Danielle Smith also posted: 'I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic event at Bow Glacier Falls, north of Banff, today,' Smith said. 'We are thinking of all those involved and wishing for their safety as we await further details. 'On behalf of Alberta's government, I also want to offer my most sincere gratitude to the emergency crews including search and rescue teams, and (STARS) for responding quickly.' I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic event at Bow Glacier Falls, north of Banff, today. We are thinking of all those involved and wishing for their safety as we await further details. On behalf of Alberta's government, I also want to offer my most sincere gratitude to… — Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) June 19, 2025 Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, posted, 'I am heartbroken to learn about the tragic rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls in Banff today. My deepest condolences to the families and friends of those lost or injured, and grateful for the swift response by (Parks Canada), RCMP, (STARS and) all emergency teams.' And MP and federal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault also posted: 'I'm aware of the rock slide incident at Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park,' he wrote. 'Thank you to the (Parks Canada) visitor safety teams and first responders on the ground. 'My prayers are with everyone affected as we await further details.'
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
What secrets did Calgary serial killer Gary Srery take to the grave?
Over the course of a year in the late 1970s, Calgarians woke up to horrifying headlines splashed across newspaper front pages. In just over 12 months, four young women's lives were extinguished under mysterious circumstances. Friends Eva Dvorak and Patsy McQueen, both 14, were found dead on the side of the Trans-Canada highway west of Calgary on Feb. 15, 1976. The body of Melissa Rehorek, 20, was found in a ditch on a quiet gravel road 22 km west of the city seven months later. And in February of 1977, the body of Barbara MacLean, 19, was discovered by a dog walker just outside the city's northeast quadrant. For years, despite evidence, interviews and autopsies, the explanations into all four deaths were scant. The cause of death for McQueen and Dvorak, who had been sent home the day they died after being caught drinking at their junior high school, was listed as undetermined. Autopsies revealed the pair had drugs and alcohol in their systems when they died, but their deaths were never ruled as murder. Story continues below advertisement Rehorek and MacLean's deaths showed similarities, leading investigators to believe they might have been victims of a single killer, but a suspect was never identified. For decades, the families and friend of each young woman waited for more information, for the cold cases to run hot. As the years ticked by, hope diminished. View image in full screen The photos of Eva Dvorak, 14, Patricia McQueen, 14, Melissa Rehorek, 20, and Barbara MacLean, 19, are displayed at a police press conference. Shane Struck / Global News Almost half a century later, in 2024, the RCMP released a bombshell press release. 'American believed to be serial killer behind deaths of 4 young Calgarians,' read Global News' headline on May 17, 2024, as police announced a break in not one, but all four cases. At a news conference in Edmonton, police announced that all four young women were victims of a serial killer by the name of Gary Srery — an American citizen living in Canada illegally at the time of the homicides. Story continues below advertisement Police said ahead of each of the four victims' deaths, they had been walking in the evening. All four died of asphyxiation and their bodies were left outside of Calgary's city limits. In each case, seminal fluid was found on the victims but police noted that at the time of their deaths there was no way to test for a DNA profile of a suspect. View image in full screen The underpass where the bodies of Patsy McQueen and Eva Dvorak were discovered. File photo / Global News Now, Global's true crime offering, Crime Beat, is looking back on the case, with exclusive interviews from the detectives who helped link the crimes, never-before-heard details from one of the victim's sisters and a jaw-dropping interview with the serial killer's own son, who provides insight into how his father became a serial killer — and the reasons he believes his dad is responsible for the death of another young Alberta woman. On May 17, 2024, the RCMP said Gary Srery was responsible for the deaths of four young Calgarians. Supplied by RCMP Keep reading to learn more about Srery, how advances in forensic technology helped link the Calgary murders and why investigators think he may be connected to additional murders and sexual assaults. Story continues below advertisement Who is Gary Srery? Gary Allen Srery was born in Illinois in 1942, the first of three siblings, and moved with his family to California in the mid-1950s. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy While little is known about his formative years, by the 1960s he began to rack up an extensive rap sheet, particularly for violent and sexual offences, starting with a forcible rape conviction in 1965. He faced additional charges of kidnapping, sexual perversion and burglary around that time, leading to the State of California to classify him as a 'mentally disordered sex offender,' and he was committed to a mental health facility. In and out of incarceration, the next few years saw Srery rack up additional charges, including rape, drug possession, kidnapping and sodomy. Gary Srery is shown in an undated photo. Handout / RCMP In 1974, Srery attacked a female hitchhiker in the San Fernando Valley in California, and, attempting to escape the Los Angeles rape charge, he crossed into Canada illegally. Story continues below advertisement He was a bit of a chameleon, ever-changing his appearance, his vehicles and his aliases. Once in Canada he became an under-the-table drifter, working as a salesman or in kitchens in Southern Alberta and B.C., and staying off the radar of police. He often used the names 'Willy Blackman' and 'Rex Long.' View image in full screen Gary Srery often changed his looks, vehicles and aliases. Handout / Alberta RCMP Srery's deception worked. It wasn't until his 1998 arrest in New Westminster, B.C., for a violent sexual assault, that his crimes north of the border caught up with him. Following a five-year sentence in Canadian prison, he was deported back to the U.S. in 2003. A trickle of tips and leads With Srery back in the U.S., investigators continued to pick away at the cold cases. In 2003, taking advantage of advancements in forensic technology, evidence from Rehorek and MacLean's crime scenes were sent in for DNA testing and confirmed what police suspected all along — seminal DNA found on their clothing matched a single, unknown offender. Story continues below advertisement It was almost another 20 years, in the fall of 2022, when Dvorak's sister, Anita Vukovich-Kohut, learned that the case of the two junior high students had been reopened after she called police to check in on the case. 'I don't know what the trigger was that got [police] to start looking into it,' she told Crime Beat, 'but when I asked about it they had already begun the process.' View image in full screen Anita Vukovich-Kohut was surprised to learn her sister's case had been reopened. Crime Beat / Global News RCMP told Crime Beat that two months before receiving Vukovich-Kohut's call, they had received a tip that spurred further investigation: an inmate had found McQueen's name in the notes of another inmate. While the tip turned out to be a dead end, the investigator handling the case realized there were exhibits in the McQueen and Dvorak case that hadn't been tested using new DNA technology. Story continues below advertisement While waiting for the results of the testing to come back, and inspired by the capture of the Golden State Killer using investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), police, in partnership with the RCMP, reopened the cases of Rehorek and MacLean. When they uploaded the DNA samples from the cases into the genetic genealogy databank, it spit back a family tree of more than 6,400 people related to the unknown offender, dating back to the early 1700s. Within months, they narrowed down their search to a small group of brothers. One of the siblings, Gary Srery, had already made headlines about being a serial rapist, giving investigators their No. 1 suspect. Meanwhile, police were able to link Srery to the Calgary area during the time of the four murders, and reviewed the cases of eight other women who survived attacks by Srery, painting a picture of how the suspected serial killer moved and operated. When the DNA results came back, police were finally able to confirm that Srery had violently raped and murdered all four young women. View image in full screen Left to right: Calgary serial killer victims Melissa Rehorek, 20, Patricia 'Patsy' McQueen, 14, Eva Dvorak, 14, and Barbara MacLean, 19. Alberta RCMP Are there other Canadian victims? While the families of each Calgary victim say they were relieved to finally have some closure, Srery was long dead, having died from natural causes in an Idaho prison in 2011 while serving a life sentence for another violent rape. Story continues below advertisement Investigators say he's likely responsible for other unsolved murders, but his death means there's a good chance Srery took secrets of other committed crimes to the grave. Even his son, Richard, believes there are other crimes at the hands of his dad that are waiting to be uncovered. View image in full screen Gary Srery's son, Richard, told Crime Beat in an exclusive interview that he believes his dad is responsible for more crimes. Crime Beat 'He is one of the most charismatic, convincing, intellectual people I have ever actually ever encountered,' he told Crime Beat in an exclusive interview, explaining he believes his dad used his smarts and social skills to prey on his victims. 'I can't help thinking, even to this day, how many do we not know about?' 0:33 Gary Srery's son speaks out about his father's crimes The case of Kelly Cook One of the unsolved cases he believes is connected to his dad, said Richard, is the mysterious 1981 kidnapping and murder of a 15-year-old girl in rural Alberta. Story continues below advertisement Revealing a letter written to him by his father from prison, Richard said the note mentioned several aliases Srery had used in the past, including the name 'Bill Christensen.' Bill Christensen was also the name used by a man in Standard, Alta., 70 km north of Calgary, who called up an unsuspecting teenager by the name of Kelly Cook, luring her to her death under the guise of a babysitting job. View image in full screen Kelly Cook disappeared from her home in Alberta in 1981, in one of the highest profile cases in the province's history. File / Global News Two months later, Cook's body was found in the Chin Lake Reservoir, east of Lethbridge, tied up with ropes and anchored by concrete blocks. Years later, anticipating a visit from RCMP to his home in the U.S. to talk about cases linked to his father, Richard said he had stumbled across Cook's case in another Crime Beat episode: The Case of Kelly Cook: The Backup Babysitter. Story continues below advertisement 'I was convinced from watching it, this is him, this is the (case) they're going to talk to me about,' he said. 'He lived there, the aliases…everything about it just adds up.' Surprised when Cook's case didn't come up in their conversation, Richard said he brought it up with the investigators, who quickly shot him down, saying they didn't have a connection between the case and his dad. The RCMP claims there's no mention of the alias Bill Christensen in Srery's file, nor evidence that connects him to Cook's death. — Crime Beat airs its penultimate episode of the season at 10 p.m. ET on Global, examining a series of serial killings in Calgary in the 1970s and how the man responsible, Gary Srery, might have had more victims. Check your local listings for airtimes. Episodes appear streaming and on the StackTV app the following day. Story continues below advertisement — Global News and Global TV are both properties of Corus Entertainment.
National Post
2 hours ago
- Climate
- National Post
One dead after rockslide near Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park
NEAR BOW LAKE, Alta. — One hiker was killed and others injured after a rockslide Thursday afternoon near Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park. Article content A joint statement from RCMP and Parks Canada at 9:15 p.m. confirmed that one person was located deceased at the scene, near Bow Glacier Falls, approximately 37 kilometres north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway, also known as Highway 93N. Two individuals were evacuated by STARS Air Ambulance and one by ground ambulance, and their conditions were unknown at time of writing. Article content Article content 'Search will continue tomorrow (Friday) to confirm that no other hikers remain missing,' the statement read, adding that those missing loved ones can contact Parks Canada's Banff Dispatch at 403-762-1470. Article content 'Parks Canada and RCMP extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased. Parks Canada visitor safety teams will continue search and recovery operations until dark and will resume at first light.' Article content The statement went on to say Parks Canada and RCMP are operating drone searches and dog handlers are assisting when and where it is safe to do so. Geotechnical assessments will take place when assessors arrive, it added. Article content Article content Alpine Club of Canada guests staying at Bow Hut are safe and visitors staying at Bow Hut will be able to exit on schedule via the usual route, which is unaffected and safe to travel. Article content With heavy precipitation in the forecast, Bow Lake is closed to all visitors and a no-fly zone has been put in place to ensure public safety and for park operations. Heavy precipitation including snow is expected on the Icefields Parkway. Article content Parks Canada's Lake Louise Yoho Kootenay Field Unit confirmed a serious rockfall incident occurred around 1 p.m. near Bow Glacier Falls. Article content 'Parks Canada visitor safety teams from Banff and Jasper national parks are responding, with support from other agencies,' the unit said, adding visitors are asked to avoid the area while crews tend to the emergency situation. Article content Near the rockslide location, about 225 kilometres northwest of Calgary, a fish and wildlife truck was seen cruising away from the scene while a helicopter landed at the Lodge at Bow Lake. The aircraft left around 8:45 p.m. with a side-basket, while an ambulance was also observed emerging from the scene. Article content One hiker who witnessed the rockfall didn't want to be interviewed, referring a Postmedia reporter instead to a message shared on social media. Article content 'Heard it while walking around the lake, looked up and just saw the dust cloud behind the treeline,' the hiker said on Reddit. 'Driving back home we saw about six ambulances and numerous other Parks Canada/emergency vehicles.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
One dead, three hurt after rockfall hits hiking group at Banff National Park
LAKE LOUISE — A rockfall at a popular hiking trail in Banff National Park killed one person and sent three to hospital Thursday, as rescue crews searched for others who might be missing. Videos posted to social media of the rock slide at Bow Glacier Falls reportedly show massive rocks crashing down a mountainside, kicking up massive clouds of grey dust as people clambered to safety. 'RCMP have confirmed that one person was located deceased at the scene,' Alberta RCMP and Parks Canada said in a joint statement late Thursday. '(The) search will continue tomorrow to confirm that no other hikers remain missing.' Drones and dogs were helping with the search, and geotechnical tests would be done when assessors could get to the site, they said. Bow Lake was closed to visitors, and a no-fly zone was put in place. Anyone missing a loved one was asked to call Parks Canada. STARS air ambulance said two of the injured were airlifted to hospital in Calgary. A third person was taken by ground ambulance. Their conditions were not known. The falls are part of the Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail, a nine-kilometre route open year-round, running along the edges of Bow Lake. It's located about 200 kilometres west of Calgary, north of Lake Louise. It is considered a moderate challenge for hikers and is used by tourists and day-trippers, including families. Niclas Brundell of Canmore was hiking in the area with his wife and said the slide happened a little after noon. Brundell, who said he was unable to immediately speak with The Canadian Press, told CBC that they heard rumbles and small rocks falling, prompting them to start leaving. There were other hikers in the area, he said. 'People kept taking selfies and stuff, and both of us were taking it as a warning sign to at least keep further away from the mountainsides," he told CBC. "All of a sudden, we heard this much louder noise, and I turned around and I see, basically, a whole shelf of a mountain come loose, like something I've never seen before. "(It) almost looked like a slab avalanche but made of rock.' He said there were at least 20 people in the area under the rockfall and, as it crashed down, it sent up the massive rolling dust cloud. 'The scariest part was that whole group underneath the waterfall just kind of disappeared into that cloud formation,' he said. 'My wife thought the whole mountainside was coming loose." They weren't sure they could outrun the cloud, he said. 'I was just yelling at (my wife) to like, 'Go, go, go! We need to run!' And luckily, we got out.' Evidence of the rockfall was visible from across the lake. The side of the mountain near a waterfall was darkened and worn, except for a large patch that was significantly lighter, where a heap of debris lay below. Low-flying helicopters were seen scanning the area late Thursday, making several trips between the rockfall site and the Lodge at Bow Lake. The parking lot to enter the lodge was closed to the public and media, and several ambulances were parked near the hotel. On social media, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she was deeply saddened. "We are thinking of all those involved and wishing for their safety as we await further details," she said. "On behalf of Alberta's government, I also want to offer my most sincere gratitude to the emergency crews, including search and rescue teams and STARS air ambulance for responding quickly." Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski, also in a social media post, said: "My heart is with everyone affected by the rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls in Banff." "Grateful to Parks Canada, STARS air ambulance and all first responders supporting the emergency response." RCMP and Parks Canada said snow was expected on Friday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025. — With files from Aaron Sousa in Edmonton Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press
