After a year of planning, Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR) was ready to unveil their new West 琉璃神社 gear cache on Thursday night (Sept. 23).

Team members were set to start the ceremony but had to put it on hold after they were called out to rescue to missing hikers in the McCall Lake area, just above Peachland.

The hikers, a couple from Alberta, had successfully done the 300-metre climb to the lake. COSAR said they became disoriented and couldn鈥檛 find their way back. They circled the lake twice, but in the end, decided to sit, wait and call for help.

COSAR and RCMP decided to use a helicopter to rescue the pair.

鈥淚t was textbook,鈥� search manager Duane Tresnich said.

鈥淭he couple did everything right by sitting and waiting for help. Wandering around in the dark could have led to trouble, as there are trails and cliffs everywhere.鈥�

Tresnich added that the rescue was happening just as part of the team was bringing gear in from their main hall behind the 琉璃神社 International Airport on Old Vernon Road for the new cache in West 琉璃神社, which mean that the team was ready for the rescue more than half an hour earlier than usual.

鈥淚 think this speaks to the success of the new location,鈥� he said.

This rescue was the 82nd assignment for COSAR. The team is on track to break 2020鈥檚 record of 84 tasks.

READ MORE: Okanagan outreach service launches new initiative to help vulnerable residents

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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