It was a busy weekend for Penticton and District Search and Rescue (PENSAR), which responded to several calls, both locally and from across the province.
The team's first task came on Saturday, July 27, when it was called by the Penticton Indian Band to assist a paraglider who had become stuck in a tree after an emergency landing in the area.
Two PENSAR ground crews were joined by PIB volunteers in locating the individual, but were unable to due to the terrain, a social media post from the search and rescue team reads.
A Class D Fixed Line (CDFL) team was later deployed and landed a helicopter near the subject, PENSAR said.
"After several hundred meters of bushwacking, PENSAR made contact with the subject and the rope team was able to utilize a ground-based rope system to lower the subject down successfully," it added.
The next morning, on July 28, PENSAR was called out multiple times, including by rescue crews in Grand Forks.
Penticton's team soon made its way east to assist in a rope rescue call, as a result.
"After a difficult stretcher carry, the injured person was successfully handed over to BC Ambulance," PENSAR said.
On its way back to Penticton, local rescue crews were again called for mutual aid, this time from Vernon.
For the second time in less than 24 hours, Penticton crews were tasked with assisting a paraglider stuck in a tree. PENSAR's CDFL helicopter team was utilized to reach the subject and assisted Vernon's rope rescue team in a ground-based rescue.
While PENSAR was tasked in Vernon, it received a separate call related to a stranded individual in the Penticton area.
"BC Ambulance, and PENSAR volunteers mobilized for another task," representatives from the rescue team began. "Thankfully, Penticton Fire Department informed PENSAR that the situation was in hand, and the team was stood down."
In its social media post, the rescue team says it travelled 600 kilometres on B.C.'s roads and 150 kilometres in the air that day.
After more than 18 hours on Sunday, PENSAR members called it a night at 1:30 a.m.
