One person is dead and another was airlifted to hospital after an off-road vehicle crashed over an embankment in the British Columbia Interior. Shuswap Search and Rescue volunteers were called Saturday to the area of Adams Lake, northeast of Kamloops, where first responders were trying to reach a pair of riders whose all-terrain vehicle had dropped off the side of a forest service road. The search team says one injured rider was airlifted from the scene, while the other succumbed to his injuries. “Our condolences to his family and friends,” said Shuswap SAR in a social media post. The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed it is investigating the death, but a spokesperson declined to provide any details “because it’s an open, active investigation.” According to the latest data published by the B.C. Coroners Service, the province saw an average of 12.7 accidental ATV deaths per year from 2009 to 2018. More than 46 per cent of those deaths were recorded in the Interior Health region, while 26 per cent were recorded in the Northern Health region. Most victims—84 per cent—were male, while alcohol or drugs were identified as a contributing factor in 51 per cent of the deaths.
