North Shore Rescue (NSR) says its volunteers were called across the Strait of Georgia this weekend to help rescue an injured rock climber near Nanaimo.
In a post to social media, NSR says it provided mutual aid to Nanaimo Search and Rescue, which was responding to a call on Copley Mountain Saturday afternoon, where the climber had fallen and injured his leg.
Search Manager Paul Markey says the Nanaimo team already had the climber, a 51-year-old man, assessed and treated when NSR arrived for air support.
“One of our advanced medical providers, a doctor who volunteers with the rescue team, we actually had him fly across with us, and he was on the ground with the subject as well because I believe the lower leg injury was quite significant,” said Markey.
After navigating around some power lines, he says, the helicopter team hoisted the climber out to Nanaimo Airport, where he was transferred to the care of BC Emergency Health Services.
“Pretty much everybody that we find are really grateful and happy to see the rescue team. And certainly when the Nanaimo SAR arrived, I imagine that was the first massive relief for the subject to see rescuers there,” said Markey.
“And then the subjects know that it’s just a matter of time, really, until they get to more advanced care.”
On behalf of NSR, Markey thanked the Nanaimo SAR and Talon Helicopters for their help.
—With files from David Nadalini