STEPHENVILLE, N.L. — Two hikers, a 65-year-old man and a 39-year-old-woman, were rescued safe and sound after becoming lost in the Lewis Hills, near Fox Island River earlier this week.
At 11:55 a.m. on Aug. 5 the Bay St. George RCMP received a report from the hikers’ contact person stating they were missing after failing to show up at the designated check-in point.
The Stephenville Search and Rescue, with members from Stephenville, Kippens, and Port Au Port Ground, was called to assist and quickly mobilized volunteer searchers who worked together with the hikers’ contact person to obtain additional knowledge of the trail.
A news release from the RCMP says the team members left the area of Cold Brook on all-terrain-vehicles and travelled about 29 kilometres before continuing the search on foot for another five hours over very difficult and challenging terrain.
The hikers were located at 6 p.m. and returned to the search and rescue command post later in the evening. The man was taken to the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital in Stephenville for medical assessment.
Police say it is important for hikers to have a contact person who knows their intended route and return plans.
The Bay St. George RCMP thanks the volunteers of the search and rescue team for their exceptional efforts under the very demanding conditions of the search.
