John Baartman, a Bowser man who went missing on Jan. 23, was found safe near Cook Creek after close to 24 hours in the woods.
Tony Baker, of Arrowsmith Search and Rescue, said Baartman’s vehicle high-centred leading him to walk himself out of the Horne Lake area in search of help.
“Luckily he was dressed for the weather, he could go through the night nicely,” Baker said.
Baartman walked about 150 metres before finding a UTV and driver who took him to safety at around 4:30 p.m on Jan. 24.
Family members reported Baartman as missing to the Oceanside RCMP on Monday, Jan. 23 when he didn’t return home after heading into the woods near Horne Lake to cut firewood around 2:30 p.m.
Oceanside RCMP and Arrowsmith Search and Rescue crews began searching the Horne Lake area and surrounding forests for Baartman around 8 p.m. and continued through the night.
Nick Rivers of Arrowsmith Search and Rescue said an aerial search began at first light on Jan. 24.
Three teams from the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad (AVRS) were deployed around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 23 to search the Port Alberni side near Horne Lake, said Dave Poulsen, president of the AVRS. The Port Alberni squad also have help from Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue.
Family and friends of Baartman, as well as fellow community members, began volunteer search efforts on Jan. 23 that continued throughout the night and into the next day.
Baartman’s granddaughter, Sarah Campbell, posted an update on Facebook late Tuesday afternoon that Baartman’s pickup truck, a 2003 red Ford F-150 with a B.C. licence of 6646GJ, had been located at 5 p.m. but there was still no sign of her Opa.
“Police dogs are out along with the search and rescue team,” she wrote.
“We’ve got various volunteers and family scouring neighborhoods and streets,” said Ron Ryvers, Baartman’s son-in-law, about the search for the truck.
Baartman was driving his red pickup when he went out for firewood.
“[Rescue crews] are out by the Horne Lake area because [Baartman] had said that he was going to go out and cut firewood off of Horne Lake Road. Unfortunately that’s a nebulous and a large area but we’re looking every which way beyond that here locally,” Ryvers said.
Ryvers said his father-in-law has been cutting wood in the area for more than 20 years.
Baartman’s granddaughter, Sarah Campbell, said the search has expanded from Bowser to Port Alberni, Courtenay, Comox, Qualicum and Parksville.
“We are just trying to cover as much ground as possible,” she said.
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