Back-to-back hiker calls from the Juan de Fuca Trail kept rescue teams and its partner organizations busy Friday (June 14) afternoon
Around 3:30 p.m., Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue headed out on a call for three lost hikers north of Bear Beach on the Juan de Fuca trail.
En route, a second call came in for a hiker with a back injury just south of Botanical Beach.
“We split our efforts by sending one team towards the lost hikers and requested Port Renfrew Volunteer Fire Department attend the call for the injured hiker with team two close behind them,” Juan de Fuca SAR said in a post-incident report.
“Team one made successful contact with the lost hikers and guided them back to our command post so they could warm up and dry off. These hikers did the right thing once they found themselves in a precarious position by staying in place and calling for help.”
The second team headed for Port Renfrew and with information on trail conditions, called in helicopter support to get the hiker out. The person was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to hospital.
The Juan de Fuca team also thanked partners in the rescue endeavour including Port Renfrew fire, Alberni Valley Search and Rescue hoist team, RCM SAR 37 (Sooke) and Ascent Helicopters.