Two people are dead after a rockfall struck several hikers in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. One has been identified by the University of Alberta as retired professor Jutta Hinrichs, who was found on Thursday. The second was recovered on Friday, according to Parks Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Another three people were injured and treated at a hospital, a spokesman for Parks Canada said. Officials believe everyone else in the area is accounted for and have called off rescue efforts. The Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail is six miles (9 km) long and runs along Bow Lake. It is classified as a moderate hiking challenge. The rockfall happened on Thursday afternoon north of Lake Louise, a tourist town 124 miles (200 km) northwest of Calgary, Alberta. In a statement, the University of Alberta said Henrichs was a "dedicated leader and educator" who worked in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine's Department of Occupational Therapy. "As an educator, Jutta nurtured many students, preceptors and clinicians to flourish and grow. That her work continues to enrich the tapestry of occupational therapy in Alberta is her legacy," the statement continued. Corporal Gina Slaney with RCMP said that information about the second victim will be released after their family is notified. Videos of the incident shared online show a large rock falling down a mountainside and large clouds of dust rising up. Francois Masse, the Parks Canada Superintendent of the Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay Field Unit, said the rockfall was an "extremely rare event" that was "neither predictable nor preventable". Rockfalls are fairly common in the Rockies, he said, but "what was exceptional was the size of the slab that detached" from the mountain. The trail to Bow Glacier Falls has been closed for the foreseeable future, he added. Niclas Brundell witnessed the incident as he was hiking in the area with his wife. "We heard this like 'chunk' noise and the whole roof of the wall came loose," he told CBC News. "And we just started sprinting down. I was yelling at my wife, 'Go, go, go! We need to run as fast as we can. "We just kept sprinting and I couldn't see the people behind us anymore because they were all in that cloud of rock. And I saw rocks coming tumbling out of that. So it was big. It was, like, the full mountainside." Ron Hallman, president and CEO of Parks Canada, expressed heartbreak over the incident. "My thoughts are with the families and friends of those who are affected," he said. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also offered his condolences. "I want to address the tragedy at Bow Glacier Falls, and offer my condolences to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives in this tragic accident. And wish a full recovery to all those injured," he told reporters in Ottawa during a news conference on Friday.
Retired professor killed in Canada national park rockfall
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"Two Hikers Killed in Rockfall Incident at Banff National Park"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
A tragic rockfall incident in Banff National Park has claimed the lives of two hikers, one of whom has been identified as retired University of Alberta professor Jutta Hinrichs. The rockfall occurred on Thursday afternoon along the Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail, which is known for its moderate difficulty and picturesque views of Bow Lake. Authorities have confirmed that the second victim was recovered on Friday, while three additional hikers sustained injuries and were treated at a local hospital. Parks Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have stated that all other individuals in the area have been accounted for, leading them to call off further rescue efforts. The incident took place near Lake Louise, approximately 124 miles northwest of Calgary, Alberta, and has prompted a closure of the trail for the foreseeable future due to safety concerns.
Witnesses described the harrowing moment when the rockfall occurred, with one hiker, Niclas Brundell, recounting a loud noise followed by a rush of debris that engulfed the area. Francois Masse, Superintendent of the Parks Canada Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay Field Unit, noted that while rockfalls are not uncommon in the Rockies, the size of this particular event was extraordinary and unpredictable. The University of Alberta issued a heartfelt statement honoring Hinrichs, recognizing her significant contributions as an educator in the field of occupational therapy. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his condolences to the families affected by the tragedy and wished for a full recovery for the injured. The incident has raised concerns about hiking safety in the region, particularly in light of the unpredictable nature of geological events in mountainous areas.
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