Three missing boaters on Rainy Lake found safe
| By admin Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 5:41pm. |
From the OPP
On Nov. 7, OPP officers received a 9-1-1 call advising them of three lost boaters who were stranded on Rainy Lake.
The three were returning from a cabin when they got turned around in their directions and ran out of fuel.
Initially, the men believed their location to be in the area of East Camp Narrows on Rainy Lake, but this information coming into police pertaining to their exact location was conflicted.
When hearing of the men stranded on Rainy Lake, friends began to venture out to search but were forced to turn back because of weather conditions, which included high winds, falling snow, lack of visibility, and lack of daylight.
An MNR helicopter was dispatched from Dryden to assist with the search and the OPP Northwest Region Emergency Response Team was on standby at the airport prepared to join and direct the MNR helicopter in the search.
The police investigation began with officers trying to pinpoint the location of the men and their boat might be located.
Marine officers launched the marine unit during the night and began their search, but had to turn back to Birch Point and wait until daylight to resume the search due to poor visibility and weather conditions.
On Nov. 8, the OPP resumed their search at daylight along with volunteer searchers. At 12:42 p.m., all three men were located in their boat in the area of Halfway Inlet.
No medical attention was required.
Police noted when the men were found, they were significantly further from the area they initially believed they were stranded.
Police remind all marine operators to take extra precaution to ensure safety on the lake, especially during colder seasons. Even if boaters remain in their boat, they are at significant risk of hypothermia.
Be aware of the resources you have in your communities pertaining to weather forecasts and the importance of proper planning, especially for cold weather and water conditions.
