A University of Victoria student has died after falling off a cliff during a hike near Campbell River.
The coroners service says Anders Newman was camping with six friends in Strathcona Provincial Park on Saturday and went for a morning hike near Big Interior Mountain.
The 18-year-old lost his footing on a trail and fell. Newman and the six friends left their campsite at Bedwell Lake in Strathcona Park to go for a day’s hike in the area of Little Jim Lake and Big Interior Mountain.
At about 8:45 a.m. as the group was descending a trail, Mr. Anders lost his footing and fell over a steep cliff. His friends immediately went to seek help and met another party of hikers who activated a SPOT locator beacon to alert authorities to the need for assistance.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The university says Anders was a popular first-year student and outdoors enthusiast with many friends across campus.
An arrangement was set up outside of Anders dorm room door. There is also a white board where many have been written how he was a great guy and how he will be sorely missed at UVic.
Newman was “an extremely well-liked young man who had a promising future,” said Joel Lynn, UVic’s executive director of student services, adding that counselling is available for students affected by his death.
An obituary for Newman says he died doing what he loved and that a memorial service will be held Saturday in his hometown of Cochrane, Alta.
