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Helicopter Removes Suspended VW Beetle From Squamish Cliff

Officials now weigh accountability for a stunt they say endangered the public.

A hollowed-out red Volkswagen Beetle — seen here suspended on a Squamish rock face on March 30 — has been removed, according to officials.
The shell of a Volkswagen Beetle hangs suspended on a cliff above the Sea-to-Sky Highway, in Squamish, B.C., on Monday, April 6, 2026. The vehicle appeared on the rock face last week with a large "E" on its roof, indicating University of British Columbia engineering students were carrying on a long-standing tradition of placing the shell in difficult to reach locations. British Columbia's Environment Ministry is urging people to stay away from the area as they work on a plan to remove it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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Overview

  • BC Parks said crews removed the hollow Beetle with helicopter support and flew it to the Sea-to-Sky Gondola parking lot.
  • Officials warned the shell hung above Highway 99 and power lines, so they kept people out of the area for safety during the work.
  • RCMP opened an investigation, with the B.C. government also threatening legal action.
  • An email claiming to speak for UBC engineers took credit, as the UBC engineering dean called the act illegal and the student society denied any role.
  • The Squamish Nation said the cliff is a sacred site and called the display disrespectful to its people and land.