A local resident in Saskatchewan stepped up and helped the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in a successful rescue effort by using his own plane to locate the stranded person.

On a cold evening in March, Saskatchewan RCMP received a distress call from a man whose vehicle was stuck in water and snow in a remote area in Fox Valley. As the officers were faced with the challenge of covering a vast geographic area with limited information, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), detachment officers, Saskatchewan RCMP Police Dog Services, and a conservation officer with the Provincial Protective Services Branch were deployed to conduct the search. While the search continued through the night, the temperatures dipped to -29 degrees**, with wind chill and fresh snow**.

While drawing on additional resources, Don Kyllo, Leader RCMP Detachment commander, remembered meeting a local pilot who offered his plane if the RCMP ever needed to expand a search area and called him. The conversation between the Good Samaritan and Sergeant Kyllo went as follows:

“Did you mean what you said? That you’d be willing to help with your plane if we ever needed it,” Sergeant Don Kyllo asked the pilot.

The pilot agreed without hesitation. “I’ve been waiting 15 years for this call,” he replied.

The pilot was able to locate the stranded vehicle shortly after taking off and relayed the coordinates to officers on the ground while circling over the location. RCMP officers safely brought the man back to the station, where he was given food and tea to warm up. Thankfully, he was not injured.

Both the RCMP and the unnamed hero said that working together and supporting each other is key to keeping the community safe. The Saskatchewan RCMP thanked everyone involved, saying this teamwork shows what can be achieved when people come together.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police