Two people on the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team when it crashed were misidentified — one player pronounced as dead is alive, and another believed to be alive is dead, the Saskatchewan Justice Ministry says.
One of the players initially announced as dead was identified as Xavier Labelle. In fact, Labelle survived the crash.
Parker Tobin, another of the 15 who died, was previously “misidentified” and believed to have survived, the ministry said.
A ministry spokesperson said the Office of the Chief Coroner apologizes for the misidentifications and any confusion created by them.
The Broncos, of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, also reached out to the affected families.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the Labelle and Tobin families this morning, as we continue to do everything in our power to support all families of victims of this tragedy and every member of the Humboldt Broncos community,” wrote team president Kevin Garinger.
The highway accident occurred when the bus and a semi-trailer collided Friday about 5 p.m. CST. The Broncos were heading to a playoff game in Nipawin, Sask.
Since then, outpourings of support have been coming in from across Canada and around the world.
