The BC Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of a man who died after being involved in a paragliding accident near Pemberton on Aug. 6, 2012.

The man is John Clifford, aged 55, from Seattle, Washington.

Mr. Clifford was one of 132 competitors taking part in the Canadian Paragliding National Championships competition in the Pemberton area on Aug. 6, 2012 when something went wrong and he ended up in the Lillooet River. Search and rescue operations commenced immediately, but were hampered by poor weather, including severe thunderstorms. As a result, Mr. Clifford was not located by search and rescue personnel until Aug. 7, 2012.

The BC Coroners Service continues to investigate this death.

The family of Mr. Clifford has been notified. On behalf of family members, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.

The BC Coroners Service expresses its condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Clifford and its appreciation to the assistance provided by search and rescue personnel during recovery efforts at the scene.

Mr. Clifford is the third hang glider or paraglider to die in British Columbia this year. Lenami Godinez-Avila died on April 28 after she fell during a tandem flight from Mount Woodside near Harrison Mills, and Richard Michael Wood died on June 11 while engaging in a solo flight near Lumby. As well, the operator of a powered paraglider died on June 7 in a crash near Enderby.

For further information, please contact:

Barb McLintock
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253