Injured hikers airlifted from remote Cape Breton trail: RCMP
Two injured hikers have been treated in hospital after being rescued from a remote trail in northern Cape Breton.
On May 21 around 5:45 p.m. Cheticamp RCMP got a report of two injured hikers on Pollet's Cove trail near Pleasant Bay, N.S.
The RCMP, Pleasant Bay Volunteer Fire Department and EHS responded to the scene and started planning the rescue.
Police say due to the difficult terrain, remote area and lack of cellphone and radio reception, an RCMP officer and a paramedic entered the trail together to try and locate the hikers.
A command post was set up near the base of the trailhead as members from various search and rescue teams made their way to the area.
Around 9 p.m., the RCMP officer and EHS paramedic found the injured hikers on the trail.
RCMP says they were treated at the scene, and a CH-149 Cormorant belonging to the Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (JRCC) landed in a field nearby.
The hikers, the officer and the paramedic were airlifted from the area and flown to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, where the hikers were treated.
The RCMP says they would like to remind the public to plan ahead before going on a hike.
They recommend making a list of things you might need, like rain gear, extra warm clothing, food, water, a first aid kit, pocket knife, matches in a waterproof container, sunscreen, a whistle, a flashlight and insect repellent.
They also say you should:
- Find out about the trail you plan to hike and make sure that the trail is not beyond your abilities.
- Watch the weather. It can change frequently so it's important to know what to expect and to dress accordingly.
- Not go alone. Consider going with a friend or a group of people.
- Tell people where you're going and when you plan to be back. This can help first responders to locate you in the event of an emergency.
- Bring your fully charged cellphone. This will allow you to call someone if you become lost.
- Find out if there is cellular service in the area you are planning to hike, especially if the hike is in a remote area. The area surrounding the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, including Pleasant Bay is known to have poor cellular service and hikers should bring a Satellite Communication Device.
- If you do get lost, stay calm and keep warm. If you have to stay overnight, build a campfire for warmth, light, and safety. This can also assist first responders as the smoke of a campfire can be spotted by an aircraft.
Correction
This is a corrected version. In the previous version’s fourth paragraph “Trail” was written “Rail.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.