Helicopter rescue for injured mountain biker in South Okanagan

An injured mountain biker was rescued in the South Okanagan on Saturday morning.

Penticton Search and Rescue (PENSAR) said the cyclist was rescued from the Three Blind Mice Trails, but that the Penticton Fire Department initially responded to the incident.

According to PENSAR, the fire department prepared the injured person for evacuation while the search and rescue helicopter team was mobilized.

The cyclist was safely airlifted, said PENSAR, and transferred to a nearby ambulance.

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“This was the second injured mountain biker that had to be evacuated this week from the Three Blind Mice area by air by PENSAR,” search and rescue said in a press release.

PENSAR added that since last Sunday, its services have been requested five times and that it has deployed services four times. Two calls were for injured mountain bikers, while the other two were for overdue motorists in the backcountry.

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With the weather warming up and provincial COVID-19 restrictions starting to ease, PENSAR said the amount of backcountry activity has started to increase.

“PENSAR cannot stress enough to those who venture into the backroads, to be prepared,” said search and rescue. “Plan your route and don’t exceed the expectations of your vehicle or your own personal experience and inform others where you are going.”