YouTuber Stacey Tourout Initially Survived Off-Roading Accident with Fiancé After Car Fell 656 Feet

The couple — who ran the Toyota World Runners account on YouTube — was killed in a tragic accident in British Columbia on August 7.

Following the tragic accident, Kaslo Search and Rescue’s Mark Jennings-Bates told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or CBC, said one passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other was taken to the hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Jennings-Bates — the Communication Manager for Kaslo Search and Rescue — said rescuers found Tourout still conscious when they responded to the scene. While she initially survived, Tourout suffered “a severe head injury,” per Jennings-Bates.

“She didn’t realize quite how injured she was,” he said of Tourout, who was transported to a hospital, where she later passed away that night.

As for Yeomans, Jennings-Bates said he had been thrown from the vehicle, adding that rescuers found “no vital signs” when they arrived at the scene.

He previously told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or CBC, that the couple was found “on a forestry road, somewhere in the mountains, and quite a long ways north in the valley up towards … the village of Trout Lake,” which is the West Kootenay region of British Columbia.

While speaking with PEOPLE, Jennings-Bates said the crash site was a “backcountry trail” with “pretty tough” terrain, adding that Yeomans and Tourout’s vehicle fell down a “steep boulder field,” falling an estimated 200 meters, which is about 656 feet.

According to Jennings-Bates, Tourout was still in the vehicle when it stopped.

“From what I understand, it’s one of the few patches of the road that doesn’t have a forest on the side,” he said to PEOPLE. “So anywhere else, they would’ve been caught by the trees — they would’ve maybe gotten a bit hurt. But this is the one area where they were gonna go for a big ride if they did go off the side road.”

Following the accident, Jennings-Bates told the CBC that rescue teams “were able to get to them efficiently,” noting that the helicopter pilot was able to “fly straight to the destination.” He shared with PEOPLE that the rescue teams consisted of two ground and one air team, saying the rescue team had to use ropes to get to the couple’s bodies.

Tourout’s family announced the news of Tourout and Yeomans’ deaths in a statement posted to Facebook on August 10.

“With unimaginable heartache, the families of Matthew Peter Yeomans and Stacey Tourout would like to advise that we lost them both tragically succumbing to injuries in an offroad accident on Aug 7, 2025 in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia that they loved so much,” Coleen Tourout, Stacey’s mother, wrote.

“Please keep us and them in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this devastating end to an amazing Love Story,” the statement added. “They are together forever as we knew they would always be.”

Tourout and Yeomans’ YouTube account had more than 200,000 followers, while another 75K followed their adventures on Instagram.

The two claim to have built the “world’s first Land Cruiser Chinook in 100 days,” which they were seemingly driving around the world, sharing videos from their travels. “We are documenting our build, the trip plan, and hope to leave you with wisdom and inspiration for why we travel and how you can find fulfillment doing the same – in your own way,” they shared on their YouTube page.

In another Facebook post, a friend of the couple, Colin Stuart, said he was with them when the accident occurred.

“I just lived the saddest chapter of my life this past week. As many of you now know, Matthew Peter Yeomans and Stacey Tourout are no longer with us,” he wrote. “I was with them when it happened and did everything in my power to save them.”

“Those were the hardest 20 hours I have ever lived. The hardest decisions I have ever had to make,” he continued. “I’m sorry to all that this has affected. This is a big loss for the offroad community and a bigger loss to Matthew’s and Stacey’s family and close friends … My heart goes to all effected.”

Tourout’s mother also responded to the post in the comments, writing, “Colin – not only your heroism that evening, but your willingness to talk to us and offer us some peace to understand why two such wonderful souls were taken from this earth so soon will never be forgotten.” She added that she was “eternally grateful,” concluding, “please, do take care of yourself, we need more people like you on this earth.”

The couple’s last video was shared on July 31 to YouTube, showing them driving around Vancouver Island. The pair appeared to have gotten engaged back in May 2024, according to a Facebook post shared by Yeomans at the time, below.