Over the weekend emergency crews were called to a heavily wooded area in Central Saanich to rescue two skydivers stuck in a tree.

Central Saanich Fire Chief Chris Vrabel said they got the call around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, which elicited a multi-agency response of fire and search and rescue, along with ambulance and police.

B次元官网网址淥ne was able to walk out and the other had one fracture of an upper limb B次元官网网址� both had abrasions and scratches,B次元官网网址� Vrabel said.

The pair were trapped in a tree canopy about 100 feet off the ground in an area on Rae Leigh Place off of Mount Newton Cross Road, according to Vrabel.

Nathan Franklyn, an arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts with over 20 years aerial rescue training, was brought in to assist emergency crews.

B次元官网网址淭he trees were thinner in diameter and we were concerned of them breaking,B次元官网网址� said Vrabel, about why they called in Franklyn.

B次元官网网址淭hey were in a tree and (emergency crews) couldnB次元官网网址檛 access them with a bucket truck or ladder truck,B次元官网网址� Franklyn said. B次元官网网址淚 found a way to secure the tree and the limbs they were in and used our rigging equipment and pulleys to attach it to them and lower them down.B次元官网网址�

Franklyn said as an arborist he trains annually for similar situations, but he has never had to put his practice to the test.

B次元官网网址淥bviously they were really stressed out just from trying to hold on and not move from the position they were in B次元官网网址� they were worried if they moved it would dislodge the parachute or a limb would break,B次元官网网址� said Franklyn. B次元官网网址淚 was advising them to stay steady and stay calm and not move that much, but you could tell they were struggling B次元官网网址� the fellow who was attached to the instructor, you could tell he had some trauma to the head and he was in distress.B次元官网网址�

The instructor and tandem jumper were from Capital City Skydiving in North Saanich.

Bob Verret, owner of Capital City Skydiving, said what occurred over the weekend is rare, but instructors are trained for how to handle those types of situations.

B次元官网网址�(The instructor) did exactly what he was trained to do and probably prevented further injury. He must have been hanging in the tree upside down for three hours,B次元官网网址� said Verret.

As for the cause of the incident, Verret said he is still investigating, but as soon as he saw the jumpers were headed for the trees a call was made to emergency crews. Verret then sent a plane to search for the exact location of the parachute and called it in to police.

B次元官网网址淓veryone worked together very well. No one agency could have pulled this off,B次元官网网址� he said.

Vrabel said the rescue wrapped up around 6 p.m. Both skydivers were taken to hospital.