Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, has released the following statement about search and recovery efforts at the mudslide at Duffy Lake:

“Over the past five days, a small team of forensic coroners has worked alongside law enforcement and search and rescue professionals to try to locate people who were reported missing after the extreme rainfall event and subsequent mudslide near Duffy Lake.

“One person was located deceased on Monday, Nov. 15. On Wednesday, Nov. 17, the team recovered another deceased individual, and two additional decedents were recovered on Thursday, Nov. 18. Efforts continued Friday, Nov. 19 to locate a fifth person reported as missing, but unfortunately those attempts were unsuccessful. Despite incredibly challenging conditions, the dedication and teamwork demonstrated by everyone involved in the search are a testament to the professionalism of each organization, and I wish to recognize the significant efforts of our partners throughout this difficult time.

“I also extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who are now grieving the sudden and unexpected death of their loved one, and to the family of the missing person we have so far been unable to locate.

“This has been an incredibly difficult year for all of us in B.C., and my heart goes out to the many families and communities who have suffered tragic losses. At the BC Coroners Service, we will continue to do our best to determine the facts of these tragedies for the public record and, where possible, make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.”