What began as an ordinary morning on Highway 99 near Lillooet, British Columbia, turned into a day the province will never forget. On November 15, a massive mudslide thundered down the mountain corridor, swallowing vehicles, blocking the road, and leaving a trail of devastation. Four people lost their lives, and one more remains missing—marking a heartbreaking end to a desperate, days-long search.
Known as the Sea-to-Sky Highway, Highway 99 is famous for its breathtaking beauty and winding mountain views. But that beauty often hides danger. On that fateful morning, relentless rain and unstable slopes created the perfect storm. Without warning, the mountainside gave way—tons of rock, mud, and debris crashing down in seconds, trapping cars beneath a wall of earth.
Emergency teams from across the province rushed to the scene. What they found was chaos: vehicles crushed beyond recognition, the road buried under meters of debris, and survivors in shock. Search and rescue crews worked tirelessly for days, using dogs, drones, and excavators to comb through the unstable terrain. Four victims were recovered—three men and one woman. But as conditions worsened and the slope remained dangerously unstable, officials were forced to suspend the search for the fifth missing person.
Authorities called the decision “gut-wrenching but necessary.” The risk of more slides was simply too high. Families were notified, and the entire community of Lillooet fell silent with grief.
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