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‘Exactly what search teams hope for’: 2 rescued from Oyama backcountry

COSAR rescue accomplished within minutes Sunday evening, March 24
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COSAR came to the aid of two people stuck on Oyama Lake Forest Service Road on March 24. (COSAR/ Facebook)

Two people stranded on Oyama Lake Forest Service Road, on Sunday evening (March 24), were located in a couple of minutes thanks to Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR).

Vernon RCMP contacted COSAR to assist them in extracting the two people stuck on the dirt road.

COSAR responded with seven volunteer members, a snowmobile, and a UTV.

The volunteers were able to find the two people within minutes of being dispatched to the field and COSAR search manager Duane Tresnich said it was due to good communication and the stranded duo staying with their vehicle.

“This made for a straightforward extraction. We brought them out to the command site and then got them home,” he said.

Neither person was injured in the ordeal.

According to Tresnich, COSAR has seen an increase in the number of people asking for assistance when travelling into the backcountry and becoming stuck.

“If you plan to go into the backcountry at this time of year, carry ways to dig yourself out, have ways to start a fire if you can’t get out, bring food and water, and most importantly, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back. That way, if something unexpected happens, search and rescue teams will have a starting point to come and find you,” he said.

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Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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