Some good advice from Kelowna RCMP after our third call-out of the week.

Kelowna RCMP Media Release
OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
File 2023-69029
November 22, 2023

RCMP helicopter to the rescue

On November 21, 2023, the RCMP received a 9-1-1 call from a man stranded with his truck near the Brenda Lake Recreation area off Highway 97C. The single motorist was exploring the backcountry in his new 4×4 truck and became stuck in the snow.

The driver was unable to provide his location coordinates and attempts to pinpoint his cell phone were unsuccessful. Following a collaborative risk assessment, the Kelowna RCMP Air Services helicopter and the Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR) were deployed to assist.

After successfully locating the truck by air, the pilots of Air 4 landed in a safe clearing and hiked approximately 500 metres to rescue the driver and fly him out safely without injury.

“This is a strong reminder to be fully equipped and prepared when travelling into the backcountry,” says Cst. Mike Della-Paolera, Media Relations Officer with the Kelowna RCMP. “Our community is fortunate that we have specialized resources from Kelowna RCMP Air Services and the many volunteers with COSAR that are able to assist in rescue in situations like this, otherwise this story could have ended very differently.”

The RCMP and COSAR would like to remind motorists going into the backcountry that most forest service roads are not maintained and are impassable by road intended vehicles during the winter months. According to COSAR, there is a noticeable increasing trend of motorists relying on online maps as a way to navigate forest service roads. These maps can sometimes be inaccurate and are not updated with the current road conditions.

If you do wish to travel on the back country please take the time and visit adventuresmart.ca and fill out a trip plan. It could save your life.