Mounties use drone and jet boat to rescue man from Fraser River near Chilliwack – WATCH
A man is about to be pulled to the safety of an RCMP river boat in the Fraser River near Chilliwack. (Image Credit: RCMP Supplied)
CHILLIWACK — A coordinated response involving Chilliwack RCMP, specialized police units and a passerby led to the rescue of a man trapped in the swift-moving waters of the Fraser River earlier this week near Chilliwack.
Police received a report at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday (July 28), of a man calling for help in the river near Old Orchard Road and Arnold Road. Front-line officers, members of the Lower Mainland District Integrated Police Dog Service and Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment Indigenous Policing Services responded to the call.
When officers arrived, they found the man standing in swift-moving water and unable to safely reach shore. Given the hazardous conditions, police quickly coordinated a rescue using specialized resources.
Initially, police used a drone to deliver a life jacket to the man. It provided immediate support while rescue crews developed a recovery plan. A short time later, members of Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment Indigenous Policing Services entered the river on a jet boat and navigated through the waters to reach the man.
He was pulled aboard the vessel and transported to shore, where he was assessed by BC Emergency Health Services paramedics.
The man thanked responding officers and the passerby who heard his calls for help and called 911.
RCMP Constable Marc Verreault, who drove the jet boat, was proud of the successful rescue. “The Fraser River has strong currents, cold waters, shallow gravel bars, and log jams that can create several hazards for people who fall into the river, as well as for their rescuers,” said Verreault.
The RCMP says the rescue is a good reminder to the public to exercise extreme caution near or on the river.
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