10 Photos of Toyota World Runners Before Tragic Accident — What Happened and Are They Dead?

The duo behind the 'Toyota World Runners' YouTube channel, Matthew Yeomans and Stacey Tourout, have died following an off-road crash in the mountains near Trout Lake, British Columbia; one was found without vital signs at the scene, and the other later died in hospital, according to Kaslo Search and Rescue and multiple outlets.

Both were believed to have lost control while driving through rough terrain.

About the Toyota World Runners

Based in Canada, Matthew and Stacey have built a devoted audience by documenting overland travel across the Americas, with more than 200,000 subscribers on YouTube and approximately 70,000–74,000 followers on Instagram. Their work blended technical builds, remote routes and candid, good-humoured storytelling that resonated with the global off-road community.

At the time of their demise, it wasn't made clear whether they were filming at the time. Their audience found their content intriguing, which included exploring North and South America.

One of their most notable videos documented their building of the 'world's first Land Cruiser Chinook in 100 days'. This custom vehicle combines the body of a Toyota Land Cruiser with that of a Toyota Chinook.

This was intended to serve as an off-road camper van. It wasn't verified whether they were driving the modified Toyota Chinook when they died.

First Responders' Account of the Incident

On 7 August, Kaslo Search and Rescue (Kaslo SAR) were called to an off-road motor vehicle incident around 19:30. Mark Jennings-Bates, a manager with Kaslo SAR, shared this.

He said that it took place on a forestry road, somewhere in the mountains. He added that it was 'quite a long way' north, situated in the valley leading up to the village of Trout Lake.

Their teams were able to get to them efficiently despite the long journey. He added that this meant that the helicopter pilot could fly straight to the destination with confidence that they'd find them.

Unfortunately, Jennings-Bates noted that one of the occupants was dead upon their arrival. Meanwhile, the other was rushed to the hospital, where they later passed.

He noted that the exact cause of the crash wasn't clear. At the time of writing, their prevailing theory is related to the loss of control while driving on rough terrain.

Considering their fates, Jennings-Bates urged those planning a mountain trip to be prepared for accidents. This was mainly due to rescuers needing extra time to respond to similar incidents.

Social Media Tributes

News of the couple's death was shared via social media by friends and family. Notably, their fellow off-roading creator Colin Stuart, who runs Dirt Theory, said he was with them during the crash.

On Facebook, he wrote that he 'was with them when it happened and did everything in his power to save them. He added that those were the hardest 20 hours he had ever lived through, and the most complicated decisions he had ever had to make.

Stuart apologised to everyone affected by their passing. He also acknowledged that the couple's loss is significant for the off-road community and a greater loss to their family and close friends.

Another creator named Shaun, who was behind the The Story Till Now YouTube channel, said that the couple was so young and full of life. While he never met the couple, he revealed that they were planning to collaborate and often spoke on the phone.

He spoke to Matthew a day before the accident, when Shaun's Jeep broke down and he needed to figure out how to get it home. He was excited about finally meeting up and made firm plans for a trip next month.

'They tragically passed away that very next day in an accident, and I'm just devastated over it,' said Shaun.