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Lac St Jean Nightmare!


Andyman
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Coroner’s report on this incident.

seems the guide intended to take a shortcut on dangerous unknown ice.

On January 21, 2020, six snowmobilers perished when their snowmobile sank under the ice of Lac-St-Jean.

 The corroner's investigation shed light on the causes and circumstances of these tragic deaths.

 Coroner Tremblay today presented her findings and recommendations to prevent such deaths from recurring.

 Reminder of the facts On January 20, 2020, a group of eight French tourists took part in a snowmobile expedition organized by a company.

 A professional Quebec guide is mandated by the company to accompany the group until the end of their stay, which will end on January 24, 2020.

 After a first night in the Ville de La Tuque sector, the members of the group begin their day trip on January 21, 2020 at around 9 a.m. and head towards the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, in the direction of  from the Saint-Gédéon sector, where they are scheduled to spend the night.

 In the Saint-Henri-de-Taillon sector, a portion of the marked trail bearing the number 93 is traced directly on the shores of Lac-Saint-Jean.

 Arrived at the entrance of a 90 degree curve, where the marked path leaves the shores of Lac-Saint-Jean, the guide stops and gives some recommendations to the other members of the group.

 Together, they leave the marked trail for Saint-Gédéon, located about 8 kilometers away, passing directly through Lac-Saint-Jean.

 In accordance with the directives issued by the guide, the French snowmobilers follow him and form a line.  Although night has already fallen, they are thus able to locate the rear light of the snowmobile driving in front of it.

 After a few minutes of hiking on the ice of Lac-Saint-Jean, the first five French snowmobilers who follow the guide sank into a first opening formed in the ice.

 Noting in his rear-view mirror that he can no longer see the lights of the snowmobiles that were to follow him, the guide turns around in search of the members of the group.

 During this time, one of the French snowmobilers circulating in seventh position in the convoy in turn fell into a second hole formed in the ice.

 The pilot manages to hang on to the ice.  The last two snowmobilers manage to get around the hole and try to rescue their companion.

 During the rescue maneuvers, one of the last two snowmobilers in the convoy also fell into this fault.

 The third snowmobiler closing the line assists them and the two snowmobilers in difficulty manage to extricate themselves from the water.

 The guide then arrives at the height of the last three snowmobilers and notices their distress.  He informs them that he is unable to locate the other five members of the expedition.  He then asks them to wait carefully until he comes back with the others.

 The last three snowmobilers wait a few minutes, but, noting that their guide does not return, decide to return to dry land to seek help.

 These survivors managed to get to a service station in Saint-Henri-de-Taillon around 7:30 p.m., where they called for help.

 Depending on where the guide's body was found, it is clear that the guide returned to rescue the snowmobilers who were missing.  However, he in turn fell into the waters.

 The five French snowmobilers, namely MM.  Gilles Claude, Julien Benoit, Yann Thiery, Arnaud Antoine and Jean-René Dumoulin, as well as their guide, Mr. Benoit Lespérance, died by drowning.

 To analyse

 On January 19, 2020, eight French tourists landed in Quebec to participate in a snowmobile expedition.  Most of the group had been on similar adventures in Quebec before, but for others it was their first experience.

 From the first evening, the members of the group got to know the guide.  Five of the participants already knew him, since he had been their guide during previous visits.

 The next day, January 20, 2020, the adventure began with the rental of the necessary equipment.  On site, a short ten-minute training session on the basics of snowmobiling was offered to participants, but no practical training was provided.  For some participants, this short training will therefore have provided them with the only knowledge about snowmobiling from which they have benefited.

 For the guide, this kind of expedition was common, and he had had the opportunity to accompany similar groups in the past.

 According to information gathered by the police, he was an experienced and properly trained guide.

 According to the information obtained during the investigation, it appears that the latter was not on his first stay in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.

 During the afternoon of January 21, the guide mentioned to a few people on his way his intention to take a shortcut from the Saint-Henri-de-Taillon sector, passing directly over the ice of the lake,  path that was probably unfamiliar to him.  The investigation revealed that he made this decision on his own initiative, and not in response to a request from other snowmobilers.  It therefore appears that leaving the marked trail would not be the result of an error, but of a decision by the guide, that the weather conditions were not involved in the accident, nor the speed or the condition.  snowmobile mechanics.  There is no doubt that the area to which the guide led the group was at risk.

 To get to Saint-Gédéon, the group had to pass through the end of Pointe Wilson, near the mouth of a river called the Grande Décharge, and cover about 8.1 kilometers as the crow flies.

 The accident occurred between Chemin de la Pointe Wilson in Saint-Henri-de-Taillon, Beemer Island and Morel Island.  Indeed, the strong currents of the Grande Décharge river combined with the climatic conditions contribute to making the ice very friable in certain places without this being noticeable.

 On January 21, 2020, when the group left the marked trails and headed for the ice of Lac-Saint-Jean, no signage could have allowed them to know the real danger to which they were exposed.  In addition, snowmobilers did not have a technological means to communicate with each other or call for help.  In the presence of a danger, the members of the group could then have more easily warned the others, which would have been useful in such a situation.

 In recent years, there have been several incidents in Quebec involving inexperienced snowmobilers.  Following the various recommendations issued by coroners, the Government of Quebec adopted in December 2020 a bill to amend the Act respecting off-road vehicles in order to better regulate the practice of snowmobiling by tightening the rules, thus offering  a safer environment for all snowmobile users who use marked trails in particular.  As such, the law provides for additional measures by introducing the obligation to undergo training to drive an ORV when renting this type of vehicle.  It also provides that a person must have completed and passed a training recognized by the Ministry of Tourism to professionally guide an ORV excursion.

 Recommendations

 In light of the issues raised by the analysis of the causes and circumstances of these deaths and in order to protect human life, Me Tremblay makes the following recommendations:
 To the Federation of Snowmobile Clubs of Quebec:

 specifically improve the signage in the area of the marked trail set up in the area where the accident occurred in order to avoid any ambiguity;

 install signage in the appropriate places where marked trails crisscross the shores of a lake or a river in order to warn their members of the real dangers of traveling on these bodies of water in winter and to reiterate the  importance of staying on trails that provide a safe environment.

 To the Quebec Ministry of Transport, the Quebec Ministry of Tourism and the Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs:

 to continue and intensify their efforts with the help of awareness-raising activities among snowmobile enthusiasts about the risks of drowning when they travel on lakes or rivers in winter outside of marked, secure trails ?;

 remind snowmobile enthusiasts of the importance of having at their disposal technological tracking equipment for rapid interventions such as the satellite positioning system (GPS) or distress beacons, and of having a means of communicating  with relatives or helpers (radio transmitter receiver, satellite phone, etc.) in case of need ?;

 remind snowmobile rental companies of the importance of providing tenants with technological tracking equipment for rapid interventions such as the satellite positioning system (GPS) or distress beacons and of having a means  to communicate with relatives or emergency services (radio transceiver, satellite phone, etc.).

 To the Quebec Lifesaving Society:

 continue and intensify its efforts to educate and raise awareness among snowmobile enthusiasts about the risks of drowning when they travel on lakes or rivers in winter outside of secure marked trails.

 You can obtain a copy of the investigation reports by sending your request by email to the Communications Department of the Bureau du coroner at the following address: communications@coroner.gouv.qc.ca.

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Very tragic and sad situation.  Unfortunately this incident occured like most snowmobile incidents occur with the following factors present.

- riding at night

- riding off trail

- riding on an unfamiliar body of water

Only two missing that are also very common in sledding incidents are

- speed

- alcohol

Recommendations to use more signage is not realistic.  How can the FCMQ ever sign every piece of unsafe water in the province?  Is it really desirable to create that expectation from riders that signs will save them?  Educating riders (all riders, but especially guides and rental customers) about the five dangers listed above is what should (and probably will) occur.  My condolences to all involved.  This was a very sad day for our sport.

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Very sad indeed, I realize now that they were heading south when this happened. They must have rode from LaTuque area then clockwise around Lac St Jean toward St Gedeon. Thats a big ride for tourists and may be one of the reasons the guide wanted to do a short cut.

Edited by Snobeeler
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37 minutes ago, Snobeeler said:

Thats a big ride for tourists and may be one of the reasons the guide wanted to do a short cut.

Big groups like this take a long time to run the same distances than groups of 4 or less for sure. They did not start until 9am. Each time they stop is longer than most of us would be used to. Lunch probably is a 2 hour stop. They are on vacation. Big groups it is very normal for them to arrive well after dark. 

But agreed on the probability that all of these factors resulted in the guide deciding to take this shortcut. Very tragic indeed. 

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This is very sad in deed. I just don't understand how the guide let it happen. For some reason i thought the story went that the 5 riders went ahead and the guide went after them and never came back. It's so bad that someone has to take the blame but if it was his fault it must be told.

  The lake, St. Jean, is I understand very dangerous. I know a couple of riders, as in three of them, years back came across that area and the lead guy just headed for light on the south end of the lake and ended up on open water for a couple miles. They all have rode on water many times but they were lucky people and they all say that now, when they talk about it which is not very often. Were the other two mad, I don't think they ride together any more. Really it was just plain stupid.

  I have rode on ice all my life and for me the night time riding still give me a funny feeling just not knowing what's ahead. I just hope all these people get thought this. I also hope lot's of people read about this and give the ice and rivers the respect it deserves.  

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