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Global News
25-06-2025
- General
- Global News
Brother of Alberta rock slide victim speaks about family's grief
He was the first one to wake up at 7 a.m. that fateful morning, saying, 'Let's get going, you don't want to be late.' Twenty-eight-year-old Khaled Elgamal recounted the excitement of his friend, 33-year-old Hamza Benhilal, ahead of their planned hike into Bow Glacier Falls, in Banff National Park, about 40 km north of Lake Louise, last Thursday, June 19, 2025. Fatefully, a third friend decided to stay behind and not go with the two men, who were visiting from Surrey, B.C. 'We started the hike — we took dozens of pictures,' said Elgamal. View image in full screen A photo of Hazma Benhilal (left) and Khaled Elgaml (right) at Bow Lake, the start of their hike into Bow Glacier Falls, on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Courtesy: Khaled Elgamal 'He (Benhilal) was very happy. We were talking to everybody passing by along the hike, saying hi, chatting about how was the waterfall, it was just a happy day for both of us,' added Elgamal. Story continues below advertisement 'We decided to climb up the mountain a little closer to the waterfall to take some photos from a better angle. We wanted to send them to our families back home. Then shortly after, we heard it very loud — it just looks like the mountain is falling apart. I saw a bunch of big rocks slamming the ground and rolling towards us,' said Elgamal. A large part of the mountain at the base of the falls gave way, around 1:30 p.m. Benhilal was killed by the falling rocks and Elgamal was forced to run for his life. He suffered a a broken pelvis and broken shoulder and had to be medevaced to hospital in Calgary. Elgamal credits his late friend for saving his life by yelling at him to run when the rocks began to slide. 1:46 Bow Glacier Falls rock slide witness calls scene 'pretty chaotic' Benhilal, from Morocco and Elgamal, from Egypt, met while studying online during the pandemic and eventually both came to work in Canada, where they became good friends and roommates. Story continues below advertisement 'My friend was like my brother, we pretty much lived together, supported each other, we were like each other's family,' said Elgamal. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'I was in shock hearing the news (of his death). I was trying to grasp any hope that he made it out.' 'I was very sad. I remember I was even crying while I was being transported,' added Elgamal. View image in full screen 33-year-old Hazma Benhilal sits on the rocks in front of Bow Glacier Falls where a short time later a large part of the mountain gave way, taking his life. Courtesy: Khaled Elgamal Two people were killed in the slide. The body of 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary, was recovered on Thursday. But search and rescue workers were unable to recover Benhilal's body from underneath the rubble until Friday morning, because the area was deemed too unstable. Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen A helicopter at the rock slide site near Bow Lake on Friday, June 20, 2025. Parks Canada On Tuesday, Benhilal's older brother arrived in Calgary to take his brother's body back to Morocco. Mohamed Benhilal said his brother, who moved to Surrey in 2022, loved Canada. 'He liked it so much,' said Benhilal, who added that his brother tried hard to convince other family members to come visit. 'He want the family to come here to see how beautiful Canada is — people he's saying are friendly — you can see smiles in the faces of people all the time. He liked the place very much.' View image in full screen Hamza Benhilal, seen here at the start of his hike into Bow Glacier Falls, 'liked Canada so much' said his older brother. Benhilal was originally from Morocco but moved to Canada in 2022. Courtesy: Khaled Elgamal Mohamed Benhilal managed to secure a visa to visit his brother in Canada a year ago, but hadn't used it — until he got news of his brother's death. Story continues below advertisement 'Friends called (but) I thought at first it was just spam or something. After I got the real (news) what happened, I had to say to myself that's the truth, this is the reality. I had to accept it, but his death is very shocking. For days we don't sleep or understand — all the memories of him come along.' View image in full screen On Tuesday, Mohamed Benhilal arrived in Calgary to take the body of his late brother back home to his family in Morocco. Global News Benhilal said his brother 'liked to travel — to try new things.' He also 'left a great impression on people.' 'He was just perfect. I mean he is (always) helpful. You need help — I can do that — he lives for people,' added Benhilal. View image in full screen 33-year-old Hamza Benhilal sits on rocks in front of the mountain at Bow Glacier Falls where, a short time later, a massive rock slide would take his life. Courtesy: Khaled Elgamal It is a sentiment shared by Elgamal who described his late friend as 'a very kind and caring person.' Story continues below advertisement 'He was never self-centred or showed any ego or anything like that. He would always support people; (it would) bring him satisfaction, just putting a smile on people's face,' said Elgamal. 'I've seen it myself many times — even when we played tennis and sometimes he would be coaching some beginners, and he would tell them, 'You're doing a great job.' He's always telling them keep going, stuff like that.' As the elder brother in the family, and the only one who already had a visa, Mohamed Benhilal was designated as the person to make the arrangements to return his brother's body to his family. 'I had to come here because my dad or mother or brothers, they can't — so I am the one who needs to do this job,' said Mohamed Benhilal. ' That's a small thing to do for my dead brother — the death of my brother. If they didn't find the body, that would be worse. Aat least they found the body; it will relieve (us) a little bit.' But getting the body back to Morocco will be expensive. The cost is estimated at about $13,000, so family and friends have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help raise the money. 'We're hopeful to catch some good hearts,' said Benhilal. 'Some good deeds from people who know the situation of this tragic death.' Story continues below advertisement 2:14 Friends, colleagues remember woman killed in Bow Glacier Falls rock slide
Global News
24-06-2025
- General
- Global News
Banff rock slide survivor says friend who died saved his life: ‘I'm still shocked'
A survivor of a rock slide last week in Banff National Park is remembering his 33-year-old roommate, who didn't make it out alive from under the rubble, as a kind and generous friend. Khaled Elgamal says Hamza Benhilal of Surrey, B.C., was one of two people who died after a slab of mountain gave way Thursday, raining rock down on hikers at Bow Glacier Falls, about 40 kilometres north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park. 'He was my friend but also like my big brother,' said 28-year-old Elgamal, in an interview Monday from a hospital bed in Calgary where he is recovering from a fractured pelvis and shoulder, cuts and scrapes. 'I'm still shocked,' said Elgamal. 'I'm still getting flashbacks of the scene.' View image in full screen Khaled Elgamal and Hamza Benhilal are shown in this handout photo. Elgamal (left) who survived a rock slide in Banff National Park, credits his 33-year-old friend Benhilal, who didn't make it out alive, for saving his life. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Khaled Elgamal He said he met Benhilal in 2022 when they were enrolled in the same online master of business administration program at University Canada West. Story continues below advertisement Elgamal was living in Egypt and Benhilal was in Morocco, but they both moved to B.C. in 2022 and became housemates. Elgamal, now a financial adviser, and Benhilal, an engineer, had just arrived in Banff for a vacation and a hotel worker recommended they visit Bow Glacier Falls, as the site's parking lot is usually less crowded. 'We didn't even have it on our bucket list for that day. We were planning to go to Lake Louise,' Elgamal said. He said a third friend on the trip decided to stay behind at the hotel, and he and Benhilal drove to the falls. 1:46 Bow Glacier Falls rock slide witness calls scene 'pretty chaotic' 'We took a bunch of pictures at the lake first and then started the hike to the waterfall.' Story continues below advertisement Shortly afterward, while still on the mountain, Elgamal said they heard a loud sound. 'It sounded like a thunderstorm.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy When he turned around, Elgamal said he saw a large boulder fall from the mountain and shatter into pieces when it hit the ground. Benhilal was in front of him and screamed at Elgamal to run. 'He saved me by screaming,' Elgamal said. 'I froze like a deer in headlights.' Elgamal said he turned and ran a few steps, and a rock hit his feet and he fell to the ground. He looked up and saw his friend for the last time running and eventually disappearing in the dust. View image in full screen Two people were killed and three others were injured in the rock slide that happened last Thursday (June 19, 2025) at Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park. Parks Canada Elgamal said he was in and out of consciousness on the ground as stones hit his head and body. 'Every time a rock was hitting me, I was blacking out.' Story continues below advertisement The slide eventually stopped and Elgamal stayed on the ground, breathing heavily. 'I was bleeding and looking around,' he said. He then forced himself to get up. With a bleeding head, wobbly legs and in severe pain, Elgamal said he made his way through the dust and down the mountain. He slipped on some wet stones on his way down but continued following the sound of others screaming at the base. Other hikers came running to him and told him to lie down and breathe, and they put their jackets on him. 'I was soaked in blood and barely managing myself,' he said, adding he vomited a few times. 'It was the most painful experience I've had.' Elgamal told the others that he couldn't find his friend. He learned on Saturday that Benhilal was killed. Parks Canada said the body was recovered from the rubble on Friday. View image in full screen 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary, was also killed in the rock slide at Bow Glacier Falls, about 40 kilometres north of Lake Louise, in Banff National Park. Provided to Global News Another hiker, Jutta Hinrichs, a 70-year-old retired university professor from Calgary, was found dead at the site the day of the rock slide. Story continues below advertisement 2:14 Friends, colleagues remember woman killed in Bow Glacier Falls rock slide Officials with Parks Canada have said there was nothing that could have prevented or predicted the slide and that it was the result of geological forces common in mountain areas. The area around the falls remained closed Monday. The Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail is a nine-kilometre route that runs along the edges of Bow Lake and is used by tourists and day-trippers. Elgamal said hospital workers have told him he will likely be discharged in the coming days. He said Benhilal's mother and one of his five brothers are set to arrive in Alberta this week to arrange his funeral. Elgamal said he can't believe his friend is gone, and he has been having nightmares about the rockfall every night since it happened. Story continues below advertisement Support and visits from other hikers who helped him at the site of the slide have helped, he said.
Vancouver Sun
23-06-2025
- Vancouver Sun
'Run, run, run!' B.C. hiker recounts Banff rockfall, remembers friend who died
An injured survivor in last Thursday's fatal rockfall in Banff National Park is remembering his friend Hamza Benhilal, who died in the tragedy, as a kind, generous person who was always there when needed. Khaled Elgamal, 28, was one of two hikers airlifted by STARS air ambulance to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary after suffering a broken pelvis and shoulder blade, as well as other injuries. He said he and Benhilal, who were visiting from Vancouver, were taking photos of the Bow Glacier Falls right before the disaster struck. The rockfall killed Benhilal, who was 33, and Calgarian Jutta Hinrichs, who was 70. Benhilal's body was recovered by a search-and-rescue team Friday morning. Thirteen other hikers were injured or evacuated, including Elgamal, who is still in hospital. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While Parks Canada didn't release Benhilal's name, the agency did confirm Monday morning that a 33-year-old resident of Surrey, B.C., was the second hiker to have died in the rockfall. In addition to two fractured bones, Elgamal said he suffered various cuts and contusions on his back and legs, and received stitches on his forehead. Elgamal said he and Benhilal both immigrated to Canada in 2022, and studied together for their MBAs. Elgamal is originally from Egypt, while Benhilal was from Morocco. Elgamal works as a financial advisor, while Benhilal was a network engineer. They were roommates in Surrey, B.C. Benhilal was a good listener and mature beyond his years, according to Elgamal. He added his friend was well travelled and respected by his peers. Benhilal enjoyed playing tennis and would be very encouraging to new players of the sport. 'People would always approach him when they had problems,' Elgamal said. 'He was a very good listener and talked in a very mature way, always there whenever you needed him. Never did I ever ask him for something and he was not there for me.' Having planned a trip to Alberta, Elgamal said they intended to visit Banff as well as some of the scenic lakes in the Bow Valley , including Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. After a recommendation from someone they met at the hotel they were staying, Elgamal said they decided on Thursday to check out Bow Lake and the Bow Glacier Falls, a popular hiking spot approximately 40 kilometres north of Lake Louise. The rockfall occurred around 1 p.m., when Elgamal and Benhilal were taking photos of the scenic waterfall. Though he blacked out a few times during the rockslide, Elgamal said he 'can recall pretty much everything' about it. He and Benhilal had just ascended higher up the cliff face to take better photos. He figures they were likely the highest people up the mountain when they heard a loud crack, right before large rocks started to tumble down the cliff toward them. 'I froze out of fear and couldn't move for like two seconds,' Elgamal said. 'My friend, the only thing I remember was telling me, 'run, run, run.' '(He) was a little bit to my left side when we turned our backs to the rocks and started running. Very shortly after, the rocks started hitting my legs and I fell down to the ground. I kind of squeezed my body, just giving my back to the rocks and trying to cover my head.' The last thing Elgamal saw, he said, was Benhilal running down the mountain in front of him. 'That was it — I didn't see him again after that,' he said. 'The rocks just kept slamming my back, one after another.' Once the rocks had settled and he regained full consciousness, Elgamal said he realized his back, head and hands were bleeding. He knew he had to get down the mountain if he was going to be able to be rescued. 'There was dust and I couldn't see anything,' he recalled. 'The rocks were slippery because of the waterfall, so I started sliding down the rocks to get to the ground level.' After descending, he said he started calling out for help. Eventually, a first responder grabbed him and got him onto one of STARS' helicopters. While still in a Calgary hospital Monday, he said his condition has been improving and his doctors told him he should likely recover in six to eight weeks, with no surgery required. 'The nurses here have been taking good care of me, with the medications and the healing process,' he told Postmedia. 'I've been improving day by day and I'm starting to be able to stand and go to the washroom.' By speaking to to media, Elgamal said he wants to pay tribute to Benhilal, whose family now has to deal with both funeral expenses as well as the cost to transport his body back to Morocco — something Elgamal has heard will cost about $13,000. Benhilal's brother will be coming to Canada this week to retrieve the body and sort out any paperwork, Elgamal added. Elgamal also said he feels he and the other survivors need psychiatric support in processing what happened, but argued they haven't received that assistance yet. 'Just talking about it helps me with . . . letting people know this is what happened,' he said.
Calgary Herald
23-06-2025
- General
- Calgary Herald
Hospitalized hiker recounts Bow Glacier Falls rockfall, remembers friend who died
Article content An injured survivor in last Thursday's fatal rockfall in Banff National Park is remembering his friend Hamza Benhilal, who died in the tragedy, as a kind, generous person who was always there when needed. Article content Khaled Elgamal, 28, was one of two hikers airlifted by STARS air ambulance to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary after suffering a broken pelvis and shoulder blade, as well as other injuries. He said he and Benhilal, who were visiting from Vancouver, were taking photos of the Bow Glacier Falls right before the disaster struck. Article content Article content Article content The rockfall killed Benhilal, who was 33, and Calgarian Jutta Hinrichs, who was 70. Benhilal's body was recovered by a search-and-rescue team Friday morning. Thirteen other hikers were injured or evacuated, including Elgamal, who is still in hospital. Article content Article content Article content While Parks Canada didn't release Benhilal's name, the agency did confirm Monday morning that a 33-year-old resident of Surrey, B.C. was the second hiker to have died in the rockfall. Article content In addition to two fractured bones, Elgamal said he suffered various cuts and contusions on his back and legs, and received stitches on his forehead. Article content Elgamal said he and Benhilal both immigrated to Canada in 2022, and studied together for their MBAs. Elgamal is originally from Egypt, while Benhilal was from Morocco. Elgamal works as a financial advisor, while Benhilal was a network engineer. They were roommates in Surrey, B.C. Article content Article content Benhilal was a good listener and mature beyond his years, according to Elgamal. He added his friend was well travelled and respected by his peers. Benhilal enjoyed playing tennis and would be very encouraging to new players of the sport. Article content 'People would always approach him when they had problems,' Elgamal said. 'He was a very good listener and talked in a very mature way, always there whenever you needed him. Never did I ever ask him for something and he was not there for me.' Article content Having planned a trip to Alberta, Elgamal said they intended to visit Banff as well as some of the scenic lakes in the Bow Valley, including Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.
TECHx
29-03-2025
- Business
- TECHx
NIST Adds SandboxAQ's HQC to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards
NIST Adds SandboxAQ's HQC to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards SandboxAQ has announced that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has selected HQC (Hamming Quasi-Cyclic) as the fifth algorithm in its suite of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) standards. HQC, along with ML-KEM, will play a vital role in securing global communications, including the Internet, cellular networks, payment systems, and more. This is a significant milestone for SandboxAQ, marking its second major contribution to NIST's post-quantum standardization efforts. The selection of HQC reinforces the company's position at the forefront of quantum-resistant cryptography. HQC is a key encapsulation mechanism designed to safeguard the exchange of encryption keys against quantum threats. Unlike traditional encryption methods like RSA and elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC), which are vulnerable to quantum attacks, HQC is based on error-correcting codes, offering strong protection against future quantum decryption methods. NIST's final selection report highlights HQC for its security, computational efficiency, and scalability. These qualities make it suitable for widespread use in industries requiring robust encryption. Following multiple rounds of global cryptanalysis and peer review, HQC stood out as a reliable and secure solution. This achievement follows SandboxAQ's previous involvement with SPHINCS+, another PQC algorithm that NIST selected in 2022. With HQC now officially part of NIST's standards, SandboxAQ has contributed to two out of the five critical post-quantum protocols, further establishing its leadership in the cybersecurity space. HQC's development began in the early 2000s, and by the 2010s, SandboxAQ demonstrated that it solved a 40-year-old challenge in code-based key exchanges. Today, HQC is one of just two protocols that protect the confidentiality of nearly all global communications. SandboxAQ's work with NIST reflects the company's ongoing commitment to quantum-safe cryptography. According to Taher Elgamal, senior advisor at SandboxAQ, HQC provides strong protection against quantum decryption methods while maintaining efficiency for real-world applications. 'With both SPHINCS+ and HQC standardized by NIST, SandboxAQ is leading the way in developing PQC solutions for enterprises and governments,' Elgamal stated. Carlos Aguilar Melchor, Chief Cybersecurity Scientist at SandboxAQ, emphasized the importance of HQC in securing the future of global communications. 'HQC is a key part of the transition to a quantum-safe world, and its inclusion in NIST's standards is a win for global security,' he said. In addition to its contributions to cryptographic standards, SandboxAQ offers AQtive Guard, a cryptography management solution that provides real-time visibility and enhanced security. With its unique AI-driven approach, AQtive Guard helps organizations protect their systems against evolving quantum threats. As quantum computing advances, SandboxAQ remains committed to driving innovation in post-quantum cybersecurity and helping organizations stay prepared for the future of encryption.
