*** High Winds Whip Up Activity for SAR Teams ***

From:	  Neil Brewer [kentsar@uniserve.com]
Sent:	  Tuesday, September 08, 1998 8:11 AM
To:	  <observer@uniserve.com
Cc:	  sarinfo@istar.ca
Subject:  Press Release - Harrison Lake

AGASSIZ....... On Monday, September 7th at 4:45pm Kent Harrison Search and
Rescue responded to a report of an overdue canoe with 3 occupants. The
canoeists had left 10-mile bay at 11am for a trip around Long Island and had
not returned. A small Zodiac with 2 males was looking for the canoe when
they flagged down a passing boat to relay a message for help.

Weather on the lake was getting worse, with a strong southerly wind creating
large swells in the northern half of the lake. Waves up to 8' were reported.
SAR's Mobile Incident Command (MIC) ran the operation from the Rivtow Marina
in Harrison. The 27' turbo-diesel jet boat 'Spirit of Harrison' was the
primary response vessel, supported by a 16' Zodiac Futura Mk III.

While searching for the canoe with 2 boats, search and rescue received
another call regarding 2 more overdue boats from Bear Creek. Shortly after,
flares were sighted north of Long Island. A Highland Helicopters' aircraft
was brought in at 6pm to assist in the search. The helicopter located a
small inflatable on a beach north of Silver River. This turned out to be an
additional problem. 

After repeated calls to a cellular phone belonging to the canoe party, it
was answered at 8pm by a male claiming that all were safe and off the water.
A message to notify authorities of their safe status was never relayed.

The 'Spirit of Harrison' located the vessel that launched the flares, 30
miles north of Harrison Hot Springs near Vedder Rock. The 2 occupants were
in 8' waves with a disabled vessel. The jet boat towed the vessel to Silver
River and secured them to pilings at the logging camp.

Meanwhile the helicopter evacuated one of the occupants of the zodiac north
of Silver River, leaving a lone male who refused to leave the vessel.
Returning to Agassiz as darkness fell, the helicopter found one of the 2
Bear Creek vessels safe on a beach at Cogburn Creek. This left only one
vessel unaccounted for. At 9pm a phone call was received from a camper, who
had returned from Bear Creek, stating that the zodiac had returned at 7pm.

SAR personnel accompanied the female subject (from the helicopter) by road
back up to Silver River, where they helped recover the stranded male.

In total, 5 vessels and 14 people were in distress on Harrison Lake. There
were no casualties. 14 SAR volunteers and 2 boats spent over 90 hours
ensuring that everyone was safe. Many thanks to the RCMP for their
assistance and Killer's Cove Marina for opening up at midnight to refuel the
'Spirit of Harrison'

For further information, call:
Roger Poulton 796-9272
Neil Brewer 796-3573
Bonnie Kent 796-3868