Saskatoon police plane plays part in senior’s rescue

The Saskatoon Police Service’s eye in the sky helped rescue an 86-year-old man Saturday.

In a media release Wednesday, the Saskatchewan RCMP relayed the details of the rescue operation, which began at about 6:30 p.m. That’s when the Warman RCMP got a call about a vulnerable person who might need help.

According to the RCMP, a witness saw the senior get his vehicle stuck in the snow in Borden. The witness saw the man walk away from the vehicle, even though he wasn’t wearing proper winter clothing or boots.

“When he did not immediately return to (the vehicle), the witness became concerned for his safety and called police,” the media release said.

The Mounties said officers started searching for the man, but decided to ask for help from the Saskatoon Police Service’s Air Support Unit when they realized it would be getting darker and colder.

When your lost and desperately waving at an airplane in the middle of the night hoping they see you for rescue. That was the situation Saturday night when an 86 yr old wandered from his home triggering a search. Watch as @SPSAir1 locates him and guides police to his aid. pic.twitter.com/ZtAxZqCCpd

— SPS Air Support Unit (@SPSAir1) April 4, 2023

The release said officers in the plane found the man two hours after he had been reported missing, about 2.5 kilometres from his vehicle. He had walked through snowy terrain, including fields.

The Air Support Unit guided officers on the ground to the man’s location. He wasn’t hurt after the ordeal.

“We’re thankful our partners at Saskatoon Police Service were able to join our search for this male,” Staff Sgt. Jason Teniuk of the Warman RCMP said in the release.

“We knew time was of the essence and aerial searches are an invaluable tool that allow us to search a large area in a short amount of time. We were able to locate this male and return him to warmth and safety quite quickly.

“When Saskatchewan’s police services work together to share resources and knowledge during investigations, public safety is enhanced.”