After a multi-hour search, four hunters were safely brought out of the woods in the Big White area around 2:30 am today.
Central Okanagan Search and Rescue were dispatched to the area around 11 pm after a friend of the hunter’s gave them a “fairly good idea” of were they might be.
They found tire tracks leading up the Rabbit Creek FSR, but none were seen coming out, so some of the 13 COSAR members started to set up containment.
Four trucks followed the tracks up Rabbit Creek FSR and found the lost hunters’ truck stuck in a washout.
While the roads in the area were covered in snow, they were frozen with slick ice underneath.
This led to the hunters’ truck breaking through a small creek washout and becoming high centered in a spot where they had no cell service.
“The subjects did everything right,” said Ephraim Nowak, search manager. “We had a good idea of the area they were in, they stayed with the vehicle, lit a fire and kept themselves warm.”
After being found around 1:30 am, the two adults and two children who had been lost were back at the containment area and ready to head home.
“They were very happy to see us,” said one of the searchers who found the family. “Everyone is doing great and the kids are happy because they get a day off school.”
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
