Flares fired from Shuswap lake sailboat lead to full rescue effort of empty boat

Salmon Arm RCMP is reminding lake users to let the authorities know a rescue has been successful once a call for help has been made.

According to a Salmon Arm RCMP media release, a caller from Blind Bay reporter that two distress flares had been spotted from what appeared to be a sailboat west of Copper Island in the Shuswap. Salmon Arm Search and Rescue investigated and Marine Search and Rescue were deployed to the seemingly troubled boat.

Sometime after Search and Rescue were deployed a small boat was seen leaving the area.

When Marine Search and Rescue arrived at the sailboat, they discovered an empty vessel with no-one on board. The boat was not taking on water and it appeared everyone was OK, said the release.

Salmon Arm RCMP is reminding boaters out on the water that if in distress to use all distress mechanisms at their disposal and if rescued because of a distress beacon, be it a flair, smoke or another signalling device, to contact the RCMP afterwards to let them know you are safe.

The media release says, this way the RCMP and Rescue and Rescue can scale down the response.

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