Delta police, firefighters and the Canadian Coast Guard came together to help rescue a pair of hunters who’d become trapped in marshlands last week.
According to police, the two men who were hunting ducks out at Brunswick Point in the 2600-block of River Road West, on Thursday, Oct. 21 when they got lost in the darkness and tall reeds. (Police note hunting is legal within certain areas of Delta with applicable hunting licences and permits, which both hunters had.)
By then the water level had risen to around 1.5 metres, and the hunters decided to call 911 as they did not feel they would be able to make it back to safety.
Police attended and requested assistance from both the coast guard and the Delta Fire Department.
“Our officers walked 1.5 kilometres through marshland and reeds [that were] about six to eight feet high. Fortunately they were able to locate the hunters with their flashlights, getting within 100 metres of them” Insp. Guy Leeson, head of operations for the Delta Police Department, said in a press release.
“With the assistance of the coast guard search lights and their flashlights, police were able to highlight a safe pathway for the hunters through the marshlands, and then escorted them back to safety.”
Firefighters checked the two hunters and confirmed they did not need any medical attention.
“We’re very pleased our officers were able to locate the hunters quite quickly, despite challenging circumstances,” Leeson said.
“We’re flagging this incident for the public, as the ending could have easily been very different. Hunters — especially those new to the area — need to be aware of the time, when the sun sets, and that tides here can move quickly. It’s very important to be properly prepared.”
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editor@northdeltareporter.com
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