Snowboarder gets $10K rescue bill

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- A ski operator in Canada said it will present a $10,121 bill to a snowboarder who became lost for three days after going out of bounds of the ski area.

Sebastien Boucher was found alive after a three-day search ended with his rescue Tuesday near Vancouver, British Columbia, CBC reported.

Joffrey Koeman of Cypress Mountain ski area on Vancouver's North Shore said he was happy Boucher was found safe, but plans to present the bill to cover rescue costs. He said the money will go to North Shore Search and Rescue, which conducted the rescue.

Koeman said Boucher should pay for his rescue because he ignored a series of warning signs and climbed over a boundary rope.

Boucher said, though, he got lost because of a simple mistake. He had just gotten a phone call saying a good friend had died and he was distracted.

"I know people criticize, say, 'Oh this guy's stupid, he shouldn't be doing that, he deserves it.' But people don't know. If you lose your best friend, you tell me how you feel, you tell me how you think. I shouldn't have even been snowboarding. I should've just went home," Boucher said.