Touchdown, Fumble: Missing skiers in B.C.

What a horrible story. A couple sets out on what’s supposed to be a romantic ski vacation, and end up lost in the Rockies. She dies; he survives and is rescued nine days later. How could this happen? Why were search efforts not mounted sooner, especially when other skiers spotted the desperate “SOS” messages the doomed couple had stamped into the snow as they wandered in search of the way home? These are the pertinent questions, and they were addressed by the RCMP in a news conference yesterday. "There's an error on the part of the RCMP for not initiating a callout on Feb. 21 (the day of the first ‘SOS’ sighting)," RCMP Corporal Dan Moskaluk told reporters. "Search and rescue should have been called out on Feb. 21." Not an ideal thing to have to say, but unlike what we often see in circumstances like this, it’s an honest and obvious answer, and therefore the right one to give in this crisis communications situation for the Mounties. When you’re under fire, and there was obviously a major failure on someone’s part in your organization, the best spin is no spin at all: acknowledge the obvious error, express genuine regret, and then try and focus on ensuring this doesn’t happen again. So a Touchdown, under adverse circumstances, for the RCMP. But I must also call a Fumble on Purcell Helicopter Skiing, ironically the company that spotted the survivor and helped in the rescue. They tried to say they weren’t commenting, but then did so, explaining their reluctance to comment as follows: “"We aren't worried about talking about it. It’s just that we are too busy. We haven't been able to get out for three days – this is the time of year when we make our money," said owner Rudi Gertsch. "We have to concentrate on what were doing." Yeah, good luck with that, Rudi. Yeesh.