Three people riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were rescued overnight on Monday, one in serious condition, following a collision of several ATVs in a remote location outside of Ymir.
Mike Hudson, training officer for South Columbia Search and Rescue (SAR) says the team was called out at 8 p.m. Sunday evening for a multiple ATV accident involving three injured subjects.
He describes the location of the crash as a very remote location by Barrett Lake in Ymir.
SAR members from Nelson, Rossland and Castlegar also attended to assist with extrication of the three injured people using ATVs, UTVs, and a Class D long-line.
Hudson says the team was able to successfully rescue and evacuate two of the three subjects by 2:30 a.m. Monday morning.
“Our third subject was stable but needing urgent critical care from his injuries,” he explained. “We called in the SAR techs through the Joint Rescue Center in Victoria for the Cormorant helicopter to do an evacuation for our injured subject.”
A Hercules fixed plane was also deployed as a support aircraft for the helicopter, landing at the Castlegar airport at approximately 4:45 a.m.
The Cormorant helicopter arrived at the accident scene at 6:15 a.m. and began the rescue operation of the third subject using a long line.
The injured was then flown by helicopter to the Castlegar airport for a patient transfer to a larger medical centre via the Hercules.
In all, 37 people attended, including 27 SAR members, two from the BC Ambulance Service, RCMP and Dr. Nick Sparrow of KERPA (Kootenay Emergency Response Physicians Association).
Operations were still ongoing early Monday when Hudson reported the rescue to media.
“We wish to thank all those involved to make this operation successful,” Hudson said. “We are still working hard to get our last subject evacuated and to medical aid. We can’t stress the importance of KERPA and Dr. Nick Sparrow for keeping our subject stable and comfortable throughout the night.”
Read more: #Local News
Read more: Search and Rescue receives unprecedented funding from province
newsroom@trailtimes.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter