Hiker collapses and dies on West Kelowna trail

A tough start to the new year for volunteers with Central Okanagan Search Rescue who were called to a report of a collapsed hike in West Kelowna.

Search and rescue was called, along with paramedics and firefighters, to a report of a hiker who had collapsed on Goats Peak Trail in West Kelowna around 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, according to a search and rescue media release.

Ground and UTV teams responded along with West Kelowna firefighters. 

"The teams worked together to recover the person but unfortunately that person passed away," the release read.

They later received a call from the Kelowna RCMP to help find a despondent person. As the team was being deployed, they were informed by the RCMP that the person was found and, so, the Central Okanagan Search and Rescue was stood down.

They received a third call, just after nightfall, from the West Kelowna RCMP to locate a lost hiker who had called 911.

The hiker who ran out of daylight while hiking up the McDougall Rim Trail got lost. Ebike and ATV teams were deployed and the hiker was quickly located and brought back by the ATV team and RCMP.

Duane Tresnich, search manager, said that it's the right thing to do to call for help when getting lost on a hike, but hikers should ensure that, once they start their hike, they will have enough time to return before nightfall. He also says that upon calling for help, individuals should stay where they are.

In 2023, the Central Okanagan Search and Rescue had 74 callouts, making it the third busiest year in their 70 years of operation. In total, 17,574 hours were volunteered on task, training and administration.

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