VANCOUVER, B.C. - A Quebec man who watched his wife die of hypothermia and himself barely survived being lost for nine days in the B.C. backcountry, is suing for negligence.

In two lawsuits filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Gilles Blackburn is seeking damages from the RCMP, Golden Search and Rescue and the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

He claims that between Feb. 17 and 21, all three organizations were informed of SOS signals he stamped into the snow in the mountains near Golden, 700 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, but a search was not launched.

On Feb. 23, the pilot of a helicopter flying overhead spotted Blackburn, 51, frantically waving for help and he was rescued.

Blackburn's wife, Marie-Josee Fortin, 44, died of hypothermia seven days into the ordeal.

"The RCMP, SAR and Kicking Horse Resort, all equipped with the knowledge of the SOS signals noted above, all negligently failed to initiate or conduct a search for the plaintiff, Gilles Blackburn, or Ms. Fortin or otherwise properly investigate the source and significance of the SOS signals, and their negligence caused the death of Ms. Fortin," court documents say.

The documents claim Blackburn and Fortin were skiing from the top of a lift within the Kicking Horse Resort when they became lost on Feb. 15.

Blackburn has said before that they decided to leave the marked trails of the resort.

Dressed for only a day trip and with just two granola bars, they battled cold and fatigue as they tried to figure out where they were.

Police have said they built a lean-to for shelter and ate foliage. At one point, while following a riverbed, Blackburn told officials that he fell through ice into knee-deep, bone-chilling water.

Blackburn also said he had to keep wolves at bay as they waited for rescue.

On Feb. 17, an off-duty ski guide touring in the area reported spotting some tracks and an SOS signal stamped into the snow. The sighting was reported to the resort,which reported it to local search and rescue officials.

With no reports of overdue skiers and apparently no evidence of anyone missing, no ground search was launched.

On Feb. 21, skiers saw two more SOS symbols and again notified authorities, who reported it to RCMP in Golden. RCMP have said they thought the SOS report had already been investigated, and no search was launched.

Blackburn's lawyer, Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, said her client wants to make sure no one ever has to go through a similar ordeal.

"What Mr. Blackburn wishes to happen as a result of these lawsuits is that the protocols in place are revamped so that nothing like this happens to anybody again."

Wilhelm-Morden said the defendants simply didn't do what they were tasked to do.

"That is what is just so tragic about this case. The signals were reported. Had they been acted upon, had a search been initiated, Ms. Fortin would not have lost her life," she said.

One of the lawsuits filed by Blackburn on his own behalf is seeking damages for the physical and psychological injuries he suffered, while the other lists their children William and Laurence as plaintiffs seeking damages for the death of their mother.

"As a result of the death of Ms. Fortin, William Blackburn and Laurence Blackburn, have suffered additional loss including loss of guidance, care and companionship of their mother and loss of inheritance," the documents say.

In both lawsuits, the resort is accused of negligence for failing to post notices, warning signs or some kind of barrier on the resort boundary.

The RCMP and search and rescue are both accused of negligence for failing to initiate a ground search and for failing to make reasonable enquiries into whether someone was missing.

Blackburn's lawsuit seeks damages for the permanent loss of parts of his feet, as well as nervous shock, depression, nightmares and anxiety.

"The plaintiff continues to undergo medical care and treatment and will continue to sustain loss and expense," says the statement of claim.

RCMP Cpl. Annie Linteau declined comment on the case because Mounties had not yet been served with the court documents.

Linteau said an independent review is ongoing.

A spokesman for the Kicking Horse Resort also declined comment, and search and rescue officials did not immediately return a call seeking comment.