Court date set in advance of fatality inquiry into deadly Columbia Icefield bus rollover

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 11, 2025 10:14 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

A tribunal day has been acceptable successful beforehand of a fatality enquiry for 3 radical who died erstwhile a circuit autobus tumbled down an embankment connected the Columbia Icefield successful Jasper National Park.

Fourteen others suffered life-threatening injuries aft the bus lost power successful the fashionable tourer destination southbound of Jasper successful July 2020.

The Alberta government's website says a pre-inquiry league is acceptable for June 10 successful Jasper.

The tribunal day marks the commencement of inquiry proceedings that will analyse the deaths of Dionne Durocher, 24, of North Battleford, Sask., on with Griva Patel, 28, of Edmonton and Kamleshbhai Patel, 58, of India. 

The three passengers were killed erstwhile the tour bus rolled down an icy stone slope, slid down a moraine embankment and came to remainder connected its roof. 

The rollover occurred connected the day of July 18, 2020. 

Before it crashed, the autobus was connected its 2nd travel of the day, carrying tourists to the Athabasca Glacier, astir 100 kilometres southeast of Jasper.

Of the 27 radical connected board, 24 sustained injuries and were transported from the clang tract to a triage country by helicopters. 

RCMP did not laic transgression charges, but autobus relation Brewster Travel Canada Inc. was charged successful May 2022 nether Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act related to the deficiency of seatbelts, failing to power hazards and failing to guarantee instrumentality was successful harmless operating condition.

It was ordered to wage a good of $475,000. 

Seatbelts were added to the company's buses and drivers' grooming requirements changed earlier tours restarted successful 2021.

A day for the enquiry has not been set.

At provincial fatality inquiries, grounds is entered and witnesses are questioned, but the justice who presides cannot delegate blame, but tin marque recommendations for changes to assistance forestall akin deaths.