9°c Partly cloudy
19°c Variable cloudiness
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Canoeists send out distress signal after lightning strike in Manitoba
BLOODVEIN, Man. - An Ontario woman is recovering from injuries after she was struck by lightning while canoeing with six other people in Manitoba's wilderness.
RCMP say a group of women and girls were on an organized camp trip and were paddling along the Bloodvein River near Lake Winnipeg on Sunday when a sudden storm approached. They were going to shore when the 23-year-old woman was hit by lightning.
A 15-year-old girl, who was helping the woman pull their canoe to shore, also felt a jolt, said RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish. She "got a pretty good shock" but wasn't injured.
Karpish said the group was well-equipped and managed to send out a GPS distress signal from a safety device. An emergency response co-ordination centre in Houston, Texas, then contacted the RCMP.
Mounties initially asked for help from the military's rescue centre in Trenton, Ont. But officers quickly tracked down an available Manitoba government helicopter. Its pilot was eager to help.
Two officers jumped on board and the search chopper quickly found the canoeists, just before nightfall.
The group was waving frantically at the helicopter when it arrived, about two hours after the SOS went out.
The pilot was able to land in a nearby clearing and the woman was taken to a nearby nursing station. Karpish said she was then air-lifted to a Winnipeg hospital as a precaution.
"She's lucky, very lucky."
The girl remained with the group.
"She felt she was not hurt and wanted to carry on with the trip. By all appearances, she seemed just fine."
Karpish said such remote rescues don't always have happy endings. Several factors, including the group's GPS device and the available helicopter, fortunately came together.
"This was bang-on the best case scenario we could ever ask for. Sometimes everything goes wrong but sometimes everything goes right."
It is the first public report of any injuries due to the thunderstorms that swept through Manitoba on Sunday.
History
Updated on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 2:51 PM CDT: Updated
More Latest News
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
More Latest News
(1 of 5 articles for today)
Quick shuts out Sharks again, and LA Kings surge ahead in series with gritty 3-0 win in Game 5
12:41 AM 0
Poll
Most Popular Latest News
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Woman run over three times by her own car
- Some good news, some bad news from weatherman
- Vendor fired at Houston's Minute Maid Park after taking tray of snow cones into bathroom
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Charges laid against three in Canada Revenue Agency fraud investigation
- Drug dealer sentenced to 3½ years in prison
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Horrific crash kills minivan driver near Brandon
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Winnipeg woman camps out in front of legislature to protest child welfare
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Seattle man dribbling soccer ball to Brazil killed by car on Oregon Coast
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Driver crashes into tree near golf course
- Arrests made after raids on local head shops
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- News of city's $17-million winner leaks out on FB
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Susan Griffiths dies in Switzerland
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Youths in Stockholm burn down restaurant, torch more than 30 cars in 4th night of rioting
- Landslide of love for Fleetwood Mac
- Horrific crash kills minivan driver near Brandon
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Vendor fired at Houston's Minute Maid Park after taking tray of snow cones into bathroom
- Quicker pickup of bulk garbage urged
- Privacy commissioner wants power to impose 8-figure fines against offenders
- Winnipeg Harvest issues plea for donations
- New owner for lumber stores
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Horrific crash kills minivan driver near Brandon
- Marsh Madness: Photographers Fred Greenslade and Joe Bryksa capture spring migration's grandeur at Delta Marsh
- Prominent Canadians back petition to rename Victoria Day to honour aboriginals
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Animals are animals, new ads say
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- New owner for lumber stores
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Dogs can experience separation anxiety and depression just like humans
- Ontario steps in to help save ELA
- Saskatchewan professor wants to test the health benefits of nose-picking
- 'Revenge of the redheads': Ginger-haired Montrealers gather in celebration
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.