Police helicopter rescues lost family in Elk Island National Park (VIDEO)
A police helicopter was used this weekend to rescue a family lost in Elk Island National Park just east of Edmonton.
Edmonton Police Services says the air one helicopter was called in on the evening of Saturday, February 12.
At approximately 9:20 pm, the crew piloting air one heard a call on police radio indicating that Fort Saskatchewan RCMP was searching for a woman and three children who had become lost in Elk Island National Park.
It was reported that the woman had managed to make one phone call before her cell phone battery died, prompting the RCMP to begin a search at approximately 8:30 pm.
“As it was dark, the temperature was dropping, and the children involved were very young, our Air One crew was understandably concerned when they heard the call and went into action right away,” says S/Sgt. Paul Shafer, EPS Flight Operations Section in a news release.
Air one crews eventually located the four people about four kilometres from where they were believed to be.
Their location was shared with RCMP officers on the ground, who used a snowmobile to rescue the family due to the remote location and deep snow.
“They were very glad to be able to assist the RCMP in locating this family and getting them to safety.”
Video of the rescue, which runs nearly a minute in length, can be found here.