Canadian Rangers from the La Ronge area were needed to rescue some stranded snowmobilers — and two Mounties who initially tried to rescue them.
The RCMP say it happened Saturday evening when two RCMP officers and a conservation officer went to free the snowmobilers from a large amount of slush on Egg Lake, west of La Ronge.
On their way there, one of the RCMP snowmobiles became stuck in slush on Bigstone Lake, while the other became stuck in slush when it reached the stranded snowmobilers.
Later that night, eight local Canadian Rangers from the La Ronge Ranger Patrol were deployed to aid the rescue efforts.
By 4 a.m. the following morning, everyone had safely returned to La Ronge.
The RCMP were quick to thank the Canadian Rangers for their assistance
“Our partnerships with community groups and agencies are incredibly important, especially in instances such as this,” said Sgt. Josh Hallett, Detachment Commander of the La Ronge RCMP “Although the weather was fairly mild, it becomes dangerous when people are stranded in wet conditions when temperatures can drop below freezing. The Canadian Rangers and the Conservation Officer helped our members and the stranded snowmobilers get to safety. This is a great example of partners helping each other out when it’s most needed.”
La Ronge RCMP also took the opportunity to remind riders to check the local weather advisories and ice conditions before heading out. They also encouraged everyone to pack an emergency kit and to always travel in pairs.
No injuries were reported during the weekend incident.
(PHOTO: The rescue effort. Photo courtesy of RCMP.)