logo
'He was like my big brother': Friend identifies second victim of Bow Glacier Falls rockfall

'He was like my big brother': Friend identifies second victim of Bow Glacier Falls rockfall

CBC23-06-2025
Social Sharing
A survivor of a rockfall last week in Banff National Park is remembering his 33-year-old roommate and friend who didn't make it out alive from under the rubble.
Khaled Elgamal, 28, of Surrey, B.C., says Hamza Benhilal was one of two people who died after a slab of mountain gave way last Thursday, raining rock down on hikers at Bow Glacier Falls, about 200 kilometres northwest of Calgary.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Elgamal said he was visiting Banff with Benhilal, an engineer, when they heard the loud sound of rocks dislodging. They began running to safety but did not get out of the way in time.
He said he was crushed by the chunks of rock and is recovering in a Calgary hospital from a fractured pelvis and shoulder. Benhilal did not survive.
"He was very kind, generous and very supportive," Elgamal said in an interview Monday.
"He was like my big brother. He always had a smile on his face. He was very open to the world because he had travelled so much."
Benhilal is one of two hikers who died in the rockfall. The other person was identified last week as 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary.
Parks Canada has closed the area around the falls and has said nothing could have prevented or predicted the rockfall.
The Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail is a nine-kilometre route running along the edges of Bow Lake. It is considered a moderate challenge for hikers and is used by tourists and day-trippers, including families.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

In the thick of storm season, and intense heat is adding the necessary fuel
In the thick of storm season, and intense heat is adding the necessary fuel

CTV News

time4 hours ago

  • CTV News

In the thick of storm season, and intense heat is adding the necessary fuel

Thursday in Calgary, we can expect a more reasonable high of 24 C. Sunshine with the chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms as early as 2 p.m. Thursday in Calgary, we can expect a more reasonable high of 24 C. Sunshine with the chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms as early as 2 p.m. Calgary should see some sun on Thursday, and then some wet Well, July seems to have arrived so quickly, and so did peak storm season. We are in the thick of it now (until early August), and this intense heat really does add the fuel needed to intensify these storms. The heat will start to calm down for many communities on Thursday (except the far southeast corner of the province will still hold on to the 30s for another day). In Calgary, we can expect a more reasonable high of 24 C. Sunshine for much of the day, with the chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms arriving as early as 2 p.m. danielle weather / july 2, 2025 Friday will be stable and sunny—especially in the morning for the Stampede Parade. Friday night into Saturday will come with cooling temperatures and around five millimetres of rain. danielle weather / july 2, 2025 These people in Stanley Park have the right idea to beat the heat. Thanks to Ron Jeffery for sharing:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store