A 65-year-old woman suffered extensive injuries in an ATV rollover in the Sunshine Bay Forest Recreation Site past Deer Park.
A Castlegar RCMP media release stated they were alerted to the incident through an SOS activation on a satellite GPS tracking device just after 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 23.
The GPS device had texting capabilities, and the user of the device was able to advise emergency services that a single rider had rolled their ATV and was injured.
Due to the remote location and terrain of the area, Castlegar Search and Rescue were activated.
Castlegar Search and Rescue travelled to the location by vehicle but requested assistance from Nelson Search and Rescue to attend by helicopter.
When Search and Rescue and police arrived, bystanders were performing first aid on the woman, who appeared to be suffering from extensive injuries and in a lot of pain.
Police said it appeared that the ATV accidentally went off the road down a 10-foot embankment, rolling and ejecting the woman, who was wearing a helmet.
Bystanders in the area heard the crash and found the injured woman on the ground with the ATV nearby.
Luckily, someone in the area had a satellite GPS tracking device with SOS capabilities to call for help, as the remote area had no cellphone coverage.
The device allowed bystanders to not only contact emergency services and provide their GPS location, but also provide additional information while Search and Rescue were enroute, thanks to the texting capabilities of the device.
Search and Rescue secured the injured woman and safely transported her to the nearby helicopter, which was able to land a short distance away.
The woman was airlifted to a nearby hospital and is expected to make a full recovery from her injuries.
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