Helicopter crew searching for wildfire finds missing hiker in BC park

A missing hiker has been found in Garibaldi Provincial Park after being spotted by a helicopter searching for fires.

Daniel Ring was reported missing on July 9.

His discovery prompted a “literal cheer” from Mounties in Squamish who have been searching for him.

“Squamish RCMP thanks our partners, Coastal Fire, who were responding by helicopter to a report of fire when they located the hiker,” the detachment explained.

Ring has now been reconnected with his family, police said.

His condition is unknown.

“This is an extremely good ending to this story, Coastal Fire’s sighting brought relief to detachment members and staff in the office today, there was literal cheer,” Cpl. Angela Kermer added.

Bryan Zandberg, an information assistant with the BC Wildfire Service’s Coastal Fire Centre, said a three−person crew and a helicopter pilot were on their way to investigate a report of a fire when they spotted the man.

“They saw somebody down on the ground, arms waving and signalling for help," Zandberg said.

The area where Ring was spotted is very remote, he said.

“I can only imagine being lost for two weeks. I look at the map and he was in Elfin Lakes where they found him. It’s quite a distance."

Police said Ring had been dropped off in the park on July 7 for a solo trek and was reported overdue when he failed to meet up as planned.

Zandberg said it was only after the crew landed to help the man that they found out he’d been missing.

The crew flew him to a waiting ambulance and RCMP, then went back to investigate the fire they were originally called about, he said.

"I think everybody’s really glad he was found," Zandberg said. “It’s a silver lining, for sure."

– With files from Canadian Press