One motorcyclist was killed and five others injured in a crash south of Pigeon Lake, Alta. early Saturday afternoon.
Alberta RCMP confirmed a 29-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and five other motorcyclists were taken to hospital, one by STARS Air Ambulance and four by ground ambulance.
At approximately 12:45 p.m., a Ford F150 heading east on Highway 13 struck the back of a Ford Explorer that had slowed to turn onto Range Road 12, RCMP said.
Officers said both vehicles crossed the westbound lane of Highway 13, hitting six motorcycles.
RCMP said the motorcyclists were part of a large group of between 20 and 30 enthusiasts riding from Edmonton to Sylvan Lake.
STARS said it was called to the crash at 1:07 p.m. and flew a 29-year-old patient to the Royal Alex Hospital in Edmonton in stable condition.
“I was surprised there was only the one that didn’t make it,” Liane Langlois, president of the Alberta Motorcycle Safety Society, said. “There were five others that were on their way to the hospital at that time.”
Langlois was at the scene Saturday.
“It was pretty bad. There were pieces of motorcycles, the back of the SUV was pushed completely in, the front of truck was destroyed.”
Inside the Ford F150 was a family of four with two small children, RCMP said. The driver was the only person inside the Ford Explorer. No one in those two vehicles was seriously hurt nor taken to hospital.
“It has affected the 27 people that were on this ride and all of our friends and family that are involved with various levels of mental health and physical injuries that were sustained,” Langlois added. “It’s changed the lives of a lot of people.”
“The physical stuff will heal, the bikes can be replaced, but a lot of them are quite young, and what they saw is going to stay with them for quite a bit.”
RCMP confirmed to Global News Sunday that the parents of the man who died had been notified.
A collision reconstructionist from Red Deer is assisting in the investigation.
Pigeon Lake is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.