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Beacon assists searchers to rescue man stranded south of Atlin, B.C.

Atlin Search and Rescue and RCMP set out to find man, who stayed where he was and built a fire

A beacon with a preset message assisted rescuers to find and help a man in trouble near Atlin, B.C.

On November 23, 2014 the Atlin RCMP were contacted by the International Emergency Response Coordination Centre who advised of a SPOT Beacon activation from an area about 60 km south of Atlin, said police Nov. 26.

This was not an emergency activation, but rather a preset message, which read "not hurt, I just need help getting out."

GPS coordinates provided pointed rescuers to the Kuthai Lake area, south of Atlin.

Emergency Management BC (EMBC) was contacted and Atlin Search and Rescue (ASAR) were activated.

At 2:45 a.m. the next morning, with the temperature dropping and the winds picking up, the rescue mission was completed 8.5 hours after first setting out, when the RCMP officer and Atlin SAR Volunteer returned with the man.

One rescuer said that the journey consisted of a two hour-plus ATV ride followed by a 90 minute hike using headlamps for illumination through dense brush and over undulating and sometimes steep terrain.

After a short break by a fire to warm up, they had to do it all over again to get back out to the staging area.

The rescued male, who did the right thing by staying in one place and by building a fire, advised that his ATV became disabled when the oil filter was punctured.

By the end of the rescue, the trio were a little cold, but otherwise unhurt.

The rescued male was extremely grateful to the RCMP and Atlin Search and Rescue for the time and effort dedicated to find him.