Using a helicopter and snowmobile, Quesnel Search and Rescue and RCMP members found a man who had to spend the night in the bush after getting stuck.
On Thursday, Jan. 23 at approximately 4 p.m., a truck was disabled due to deep snow on the 100 Road, approximately 70 kilometers southwest from Quesnel, according to a press release from the Quesnel RCMP.
The man driving the truck left his spouse in the vehicle and rode his snowmobile to his property for help, but he failed to return.
At approximately 5:15 a.m., on Friday, Jan. 24, a man in Likely heard the spouse calling for help on a VHF radio frequency, according to police.
The Quesnel RCMP were called, and they responded to her location. The Quesnel Search and Rescue was then called to assist with the search for the man.
At 11:43 a.m., the search team, using a helicopter, located the man. The RCMP and Search and Rescue members were then able to reach the man by snowmobile and bring him to safety.
“When the man’s snowmobile got stuck, he attempted to walk back to his wife and vehicle,” said Quesnel RCMP Sgt. Richard Weseen. “Exhaustion set in, and the man hunkered down for the night and waited for help. It is important that those who utilize the backcountry be prepared and have the equipment for emergencies. The essentials are not simply food and extra clothing in this day and age, but also include technology such as GPS tracking and satellite phones.”
Police say the man was transported to the hospital with symptoms of mild hypothermia and cold exposure after spending approximately 20 hours in the bush.
“This was a very happy ending for all those involved,” said Weseen.
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