A 47-year-old Calgary man was killed Sunday (Aug. 15) and a 40-year-old Calgary man was transported to hospital by STARS – who was unable to immediately land because of heavy wildfire smoke – with serious injuries after a collision on Highway 40, the RCMP said.
The two men were part of a group of motorcyclists driving through the Kananaskis Country area when about 13 kilometres north of Highway 541 two of the riders lost control and entered the ditch, police said.
"With heavy smoke in the area, STARS was unable to land safely at the reported location," police said.
Deb Tetley, a senior communications officer with STARS, said since the helicopter crew was unable to land on the scene because of the smoke, they rendezvoused with paramedics in Turner Valley who had taken the 40-year-old man there by ambulance. He was then taken to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary by helicopter.
Kananaskis Emergency Services, a Kananaskis Conservation Officer, Turner Valley RCMP, Cochrane RCMP, an Alberta Health Sciences ambulance, an RCMP collision analyst and STARS all responded to the scene.
The Cochrane RCMP is continuing to investigate.
