A seasoned snowmobiler from Mauricie is the third to die in an accident during the holiday season, when weather conditions made the practice of this sport more dangerous.
“He was passionate. At the time of the accident, he was returning to his residence, which is only accessible by snowmobile, says Stéphane Roy, director of operations and strategic issues for the Fédération des clubs de snowmobiles du Québec. For him, it was a necessity.”
Known to everyone
Christian Hébert worked and lived, with his wife, in the Gros-Brochet controlled exploitation zone (ZEC), where he was found dead on January 2.
“I called it the encyclopedia of the ZEC,” remembers Gaétan Rheault, his work partner. It is a territory of 14,800 km2 that he knew like the back of his hand.”
Holding back his tears, he says that his friend gave himself body and soul for the members of the ZEC and to ensure that operations there ran smoothly.
“It’s crazy how much people loved him,” notes Mr. Rheault in front of the numerous messages concerning Mr. Hébert published on social networks.
A tribute published on Facebook by ZEC Gros-Brochet.
Photo taken from FACEBOOK, ZEC GROS-BROCHET
Difficult conditions
Just before his death, he lost control of his vehicle before hitting a tree, reported the Sûreté du Québec.
While the police raise the hypothesis of impaired faculties, Stéphane Roy does not believe it. According to him, the 71-year-old man simply felt unwell.
Gaétan Rheault points out the winter conditions which are becoming more and more difficult.
“Nine years ago, when I started at the ZEC, there could be up to 3 feet of snow at this time of the year,” he remembers. Today, it’s rare to have two.”
“It may have been difficult to take a curve, since the paths were icy,” he says.
Environment Canada data does indeed indicate freezing rain around December 29 in the region, confirms meteorologist Nicholas Elder. Temperatures remained around freezing the following days.
Third death
This death is in addition to that of two other snowmobilers who occurred during the holiday season. On Christmas Eve, in Abitibi, a 43-year-old father sank into the Harricana River, which no longer freezes as before.
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A thirty-year-old also died in a fatal collision in Outaouais on January 2.
On Saturday, three snowmobilers, including a child, were narrowly saved after falling into the icy waters of Lake Aylmer, in Chaudière-Appalaches.
