On March 18, 2010 at about 1:30pm, RCMP Island Lake Detachment became aware that several people from the communities of Garden Hill FN and St. Theresa Point FN, became stranded on a winter road about 200 kilometres south of Island Lake.
RCMP report that the people stranded were on their way from Winnipeg.
RCMP learned that about 12 civilians had made their way to shelter at Thunderbird Lodge on Wrong Lake. There was no indication of any medical emergency.
The RCMP Island Lake Detachment in partnership with the Garden Hill Band continued to assess the situation. Poor weather and visibility in the area delayed attempts to rescue the civilians until today.
The RCMP has chartered a Beaver aircraft (with skis) to retrieve the community members from Wrong Lake and bring them back to safety.
Update 03/19/10 12pm
RCMP Island Lake Detachment advises that the chartered aircraft attended Thunderbird Lodge on Wrong Lake and while there was evidence that some people were at the lodge, no one was present. RCMP are making efforts to locate those that were stranded.
Update 03/19/10 10:19pm
Efforts to locate about 12 people believed to be stranded on the winter road about 200 kilometres south of the Island Lake area continued this afternoon.
RCMP have now, with the assistance of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, been able to confirm that 13 individuals were picked up yesterday at the Thunderbird Lodge by a convoy of 30 Semi trucks slowly (7 km per hour) making their way south to Bloodvein First Nation. At the present time, 13 civilians from the Communities of Garden Hill First Nation and St. Theresa Point were located by helicopter and are reportedly with the convoy a few kilometers out of the Bloodvein First Nation. They are reported to be safe with no immediate medical concerns.
Cst. Xavier Pilon
RCMP Island Lake Det.
(204)679-5426
