2 men found dead after being trapped in vehicle overnight northeast of Quebec City

Two men died after being trapped in their snow-covered vehicle overnight on the main street ofSaint-Pierre-de-la-Rivire-du-Sud, in the Chaudire-Appalaches regionabout an hour northeast of Quebec City

One of the men made a 911 call to Quebec provincial police at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Lt. Martine Asselin of theSretduQubec said the man reported the second person with him appeared to be having an asthma attack.

Asselinsaidambulances were dispatchedbut couldn't get close to the vehicle because of the intense weather conditions.

Police then tried to reach them on snowmobiles, but those, in turn,got stuck in the snow near Exit 369 on Highway 20, about two kilometres short of the spot where the stranded vehicle was believed to be.

Police crawled, swamthrough snow

"Officers practically crawled through the snow orswam through the snow," Asselin said, to try to reach the trapped men.

Asselin said policehad used the 911 caller's cell phonegeo-locator to find the spot, and when they arrived, they started digging for the vehicle.

"They weren't able to find it," she said. "At some point, they had to stop, because they were freezing, and their own lives were at risk.

She said the officers thenretreatedto a nearby home to warm up.

Helicopter grounded by high winds

Asselin said they then explored other options.

They had to scrap efforts to get snow removal equipment from the closest town because the equipment had been damaged during operations earlier that night.

They then checked hospitals to see if the menhad possibly made it out of the car themselves.

Asselin said policealso considered trying to use a helicopter, but due to the weather, that was also impossible.

Finally, around 6 a.m., officers were able to make it to the area using a backhoe and found the vehicle.

The two men, aged 33 and 41, were still inside, but they were no longer alive.

The causes of death won't be confirmed until autopsies are performed.

Three other people were stranded in the area when their three vehicles became stuck. All three two women, aged 27 and 37, and a 40-year-oldman were rescued safelyby local volunteerfirefighters, snowmobile club members, paramedics and police.

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