Two canoeists were rescued after reporting being stranded on a lake island in the northern part of Algonquin Provincial Park on the weekend.
According to the Canadian Armed Forces, around 3 a.m. Sunday, Pembroke OPP called the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton to assist in rescuing two canoeists who were stranded on an island on Coveo Lake in the far northeast section of Algonquin Provincial Park.
It was reported that both 19-year-old canoeists were in good condition and had spent the evening on an island after their canoe capsized in the rapids.
Members of 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron based out of 8 Wing Trenton deployed a CH-146 Griffon helicopter and arrived on the scene around 5 a.m.
Officials say the helicopter couldn’t land because of “unsuitable terrain” due to rapids and rocks. Instead, search and rescue technicians managed to hoist both canoeists into the helicopter and transported them to Pembroke Airport.
“We hoisted our Search and Rescue Technicians 170 feet down to the island where they met the canoeists,” said Captain Marc Crivicich, CH-146 Griffon pilot.
“Once we had them on the helicopter, we flew to a nearby airport and transferred them to local Ontario Provincial Police.”