Police helicopter rescues stranded motorist after truck gets stuck in backcountry

A stranded motorist exploring the Okanagan backcountry received help on Tuesday from an unlikely source: A police helicopter.

Kelowna RCMP say they received a 911 call from a man whose plans to explore the Brenda Lake Recreation Site went awry when his new 4×4 truck got stuck in the snow.

“The driver was unable to provide his location coordinates and attempts to pinpoint his cellphone were unsuccessful,” said police.

Along with Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR), a police helicopter was deployed to look for the man.

“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,” said Kelowna RCMP.

Police and COSAR noted that those seeking adventure in the backcountry should be well prepared, as most forest service roads are not maintained and are impassable during winter months.

Also, COSAR noted that there’s a noticeable increasing and troubling trend of motorists relying on online maps to navigate forest service roads.

The trouble is that the maps can be inaccurate and aren’t updated with the current road conditions.

“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,,” said Const. Mike Della-Paolera.

“Otherwise this story could have ended very differently.”