Canadian mounted police admit they probably should have looked into that SOS message stamped into the snow by the stranded skiers a little sooner

GOLDEN, B.C. -- Ultimately fatal communication breakdowns that delayed the search for two skiers lost in the frozen wilderness will come under independent review, after Mounties admitted error yesterday.

With one of the pair dead after nine days in the unforgiving elements, RCMP should have initiated a search days sooner than they did, Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said yesterday in this mountain town 260 km west of Calgary.

"There's an error on the behalf of the RCMP for not initiating a callout on Feb. 21," he said.

"We are certainly facing the fact that in similar circumstances ... we do call-out search and rescue - we didn't in this incident."

It wasn't until Feb. 24 that 51-year-old Gilles Blackburn, of Lasalle, Que., flagged down a passing helicopter.

But efforts arrived too late for his wife Marie Josee Fortin, 44, who died on the mountain.

The staggering tale of survival, coupled with grim tragedy unfolded nine days after the couple skied out of bounds at Golden's Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

But on Feb. 21 Mounties were aware of SOS signs stamped in the snow by the desperate couple, a stark fact prompting the independent external officer review of the tragedy.

Moskaluk said the probe could take up to three months.

The SOS signs were first noticed Feb. 17 by an off-duty employee of Purcell Helicopter Skiing, then again four days later when Mounties were brought into the loop.

"Tragically, there's some information that (Blackburn) did see some of the flyovers taking place as the days unfolded," said Moskaluk.

"He has gone through a horrific tragic event here where he's lost his spouse ... and he witnessed that."

The bereaved husband skied on his own steam down to the helicopter that finally saved him.

His brother Yvon Blackburn said in interviews that the ordeal was made more terrifying due to a pack of wolves that could be heard nearby at night.

Gilles was treated for frostbite to his feet and released from Golden hospital yesterday.

Blackburn's rescue came the same day Golden Mounties were notified of a missing persons report filed by the couple's family.

Moskaluk added Blackburn has acknowledged the couple willingly skied outside the controlled recreational area, only to quickly realize they had entered unforgiving terrain.

But as questions linger over delayed efforts to locate the pair, the manager of Golden's search and rescue service said the final call rests on RCMP shoulders.

"My hands are tied, I can't just go out and do rescues," said Ian Foss.  

"I can only do it at the behest of the RCMP, they're the sole authority here."

Foss maintained yesterday the onus was on Purcell, which was directed by a member of the local SAR team, to apprise Mounties of the first SOS sighting.

"That didn't happen," he said, adding the colleague who took the initial report has been plagued by what-ifs in the aftermath.

"Our organization wasn't aware - a single member of our volunteer organization was made aware.

"They're beating themselves up about it ... it's easy to look back and say we could've done things differently."

The incident has prompted Foss to call for a provincial review of SAR services.

RCMP are not releasing how Fortin died pending autopsy results, though they have previously said her death was possibly due to exposure.

Temperatures plummeted as low as -18 C one night while the couple was stranded.