2nd officer dies 11 days after being caught in avalanche in Kaslo, B.C.
CBC
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," the Nelson Police Department said in a news release Saturday.
Tittemore, 43, died of injuries on the scene and was posthumously promoted to detective.
"It is hard to fully express the sadness the department is feeling right now," said Chief Const. Donovan Fisher in a video posted online.
"The memorial for Const. Tittemore was this past week, and now we've lost a second officer and friend. It is truly 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, Nolet 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.
Fisher said he visited Nolet several times in hospital and said the officer remained upbeat despite the circumstances.
"Const. Nolet was a dedicated, caring and positive young officer with nothing but promise," he said in the video. "He passed away with his fiancée, his sister and his parents with him."
Nelson Mayor Janice Morrison said the loss of a local police officer will resonate deeply in the small, tight-knit community.
"We have one of the smallest municipal police forces in the country," Morrison said. "This tragedy has hit us hard; our deepest condolences go out to Const. Nolet's family."
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