More than 300 people took part in the search effort, which involved 19 teams from across the province, as well as officials from B.C. Parks, the B.C. Ambulance Service and the RCMP. The search area covered more than 200 square kms.
“They’re dehydrated, pretty bug-bitten and bruised from all of the deadfall and rocks they had to crawl through,” said Paul Berry at Comox Centre. “But otherwise they’re in surprisingly good condition.”
Berry said the pair built a shelter in a heavily wooded drainage basin and hunkered down to be rescued after becoming disoriented and realizing they were lost. But they escaped detection by rescue crews.
“They were in an area where, despite multiple flights by helicopter, by fixed-wing aircraft and searchers in close proximity, they were not able to be seen,” he said.
“Last night they were close enough they were actually able to see the colour of the rope we were using to extract teams out of the field by helicopter.”
The pair eventually left their shelter and stumbled across rescuers very close to where they started their hike said Berry.
He said their reappearance was very emotional for both rescue crews and the couple’s family.
Reported missing at the supper hour Monday – six days ago
Two hikers who went missing in a provincial park seven days ago have been found.
Jeff Smedley of Prince George Search and Rescue confirmed that Lynne Carmody and Rick Moyan were found around 3:30 this afternoon.
“This is amazing,” he said.
The two are a couple from Ontario and experienced hikers in their mid-50’s. But they did not return to their vehicle from a day hike on June 22 to Glacier Lake in Cathedral Provincial Park.
Smedley says the two will need to go to the hospital, but they were in fair condition and able to walk out of the search and rescue helicopter that flew them to the central search station.
In total 17 communities provided search and rescue assistance, from as far away as Squamish, Prince George and Comox Valley. RCMP crews and helicopters also contributed to the search.