Pedestrian killed in crash that closed Coquihalla Highway near Merritt, B.C.

Vehicles are seen as they drive along the Coquihalla Highway January 19, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

A pedestrian was struck and killed on the Coquihalla Highway on Thursday morning in what police described as an unavoidable collision that shut down a portion of the major British Columbia thoroughfare for several hours.

Emergency crews were called to the scene near the highway overpass at Kane Valley Road, approximately 30 kilometres south of Merritt, shortly after 5 a.m.

“The vehicle involved was unable to avoid the collision, and remained on scene,” B.C. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. James Grandy said in a statement. “Despite lifesaving efforts, a male pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

The highway was closed to northbound traffic between Hope and Merritt until approximately 11:30 a.m., however the B.C. Transportation Ministry urged travellers to expect delays in the area into the afternoon.

B.C. Emergency Health Services says it received a call about a “motor vehicle incident” in the area at 5:10 a.m.

“An ambulance with primary care paramedics responded to the scene,” spokesperson Brian Twaites said in a statement to CTV News.

“No patients were transported to hospital.”

During the closure, the transportation ministry advised northbound travellers take alternate routes along Highway 1 or Highway 3.

Police and the B.C. Coroners Service continue to investigate the crash, the RCMP statement said, adding no criminality is suspected in the incident.