Central Okanagan Search and Rescue finds injured hiker, assists with boat incident, all in one night

The Central Okanagan Search and Rescue team had a busy Tuesday night rescuing an injured hiker and assisting with a boat incident.

On Sept. 1, crews found an injured mountain biker on the Gillard Forest Service Road trails at roughly 6 p.m., according to Central Okanagan Search and Rescue press release.

"The rider crashed on Casino Royale and suffered multiple injuries to his knees, wrist and collar bone and was unable to ride out," the release reads.

More than 12 crew members responded and helped bring him to an ambulance using the TrailRider wheeled chair. The biker was then treated at Kelowna General Hospital.

Less than two hours later the search and rescue boat team was asked to support the RCMP and the Kelowna Fire Department in a search of Okanagan Lake, after a boat was found to be adrift on the lake in high winds.

When authorities, including seven search and rescue volunteers, investigated they found an abandoned 23-foot Chaparral ski boat which had its lights on, was taking on water and had no passengers aboard.

After finding a driver's licence, police contacted the owner of the boat and found that the passengers were safely on shore.

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