Penticton’s Search and Rescue team was busy April 25, with two different calls for assistance.
Members of PENSAR answered the call by Penticton RCMP to assist in locating a missing senior, with 19 members across four search teams deploying into the area around the Penticton Regional Hospital.
After deploying search and rescue and after the public was notified by RCMP, the senior was located safe and sound shortly before 5 p.m.
READ MORE: Penticton senior found after going missing from care facility
Before they were able to return back to the search and rescue hall, another call came in, this time for an ATV user who had got stranded in deep snow northeast of Summerland.
The on-duty SAR manager, Ron Berlin, quickly reorganized and dispatched two rescue teams into the area with a tracked UTV. The search team found the snow conditions in the Munroe Lake area difficult to navigate however they did locate the subject after 9:00 p.m. and escorted him down to the safety of his vehicle.
“PENSAR would like to remind backcountry travellers that although it may seem like Spring in the valley bottom, there is still lots of snowing in the upper elevations and traveling in these unstable snow conditions can be challenging and users may find themselves in untenable situations,” said PENSAR’s Randy Brown.
The search and rescue team is recommending that people who want to get out into the wild plan, prepare and err on the side of caution until backcountry snow conditions improve. Rescues and responses to backcountry rescues can be challenging and require specialized resources.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
<>Don’t miss a single story and get them delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up today for the Penticton Western News Newsletter.
<>@PentictonNews
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.