Two young boys found suffering from hypothermia after getting lost in the woods

VERNON – Two young boys who got lost in the woods on New Year’s Eve are safe and sound thanks to Vernon Search and Rescue.

The brothers, aged six and eight, had walked into the forest to find marshmallow sticks and became lost after wandering after a deer, Vernon Search and Rescue says in a release on its Facebook page. Members were called out on New Year’s Eve to track and locate the kids in the Westside area.

“The frigid -18 C temperatures contributed to the difficulty and the urgency of the search,” the society says.

Vernon Search and Rescue worked with the Vernon RCMP, the North Westside Volunteer Fire Department, B.C. Ambulance Service personnel and many local volunteers to quickly locate and rescue the two subjects, who were found a significant distance away in the deep snow, near the bottom of a gully, Search and Rescue says.

Both boys were suffering from hypothermia and were treated by B.C. Ambulance on scene. They are now doing well.

Vernon Search and Rescue says members were happy to help track and locate the boys, and in the end got the best New Year’s Eve present.

“Rescued children home safe,” the society says.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.