Snowmobilers stuck in a meter of snow and water on a lake in the Valin mountains, north of Saguenay, were rescued by a helicopter from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) on Sunday night, after receiving help from on passing snowmobilers.
Four snowmobilers from Saguenay with cabins in place, two men and two women, ventured into 1eh May on the lake Betsiamites of Zec Martin-Valin where they remained trapped. They are all over 60 years old. No one got hurt.
One of them was able to walk on the water to the edge of the lake to ask for help around 2:30 p.m.
While waiting for the helicopter SQ who came slowly from Quebec, the good Samaritans passing by intervened. They tried to reassure them, but as the sun was setting and it was getting cold, they decided to rescue one of the women who was starting to panic.
My friend Frédéric Gagné drove his snowmobile, but he stopped next to the lady, explained one of the rescuers that day, Patrick D’Amour. There, we took a snowmobile sled, we put the woman on, then Frédéric swam three feet of water to bring the woman on the sled to the edge of the shore for at least 45 minutes time in the ‘water.
Sunday is a particularly hot day. Mercury reached 17.7 degrees Celsius at Bagotville base station, which is certainly a few degrees higher than Betsiamites Lake, located 658 meters above sea level.
It’s still winter so people are a bit confused. There is still six or seven feet of snow on Monts Valin, so people are not very careful with the conditions.added the resident of Jonquière.
The helicopter of SQ pulled the two remaining snowmobilers around 7:30 p.m.
The snowmobiles were brought back to the Auberge du km 31, where they drank hot chocolate as they regained their senses and warmed up.
Extremely discouraged by FCMQ
In the past, many snowmobilers died in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean while venturing into the ice. The most important drama began in January 2020, when five French tourists and a Quebec guide rushed into the icy waters of Lac Saint-Jean.
The marketing director of the Fédération des clubs motoneigistes du Québec (FCMQ), Michel Garneau, recalled in an interview Monday afternoon the rules of caution in waterways.
This is a danger at any time of the year, but mainly at the beginning and end of the season. This is why people are told to avoid waterways unless they are on a marked trail maintained by clubs. As we speak, like this, all the snowmobile club lanes are closedhe confirmed.
Michel Garneau went on by adding the effect of sunny days, such as Sunday.
Certainly despite the fact that there may be snow in the woods, there is the sun hitting the waterways. There are very mild temperatures. This is a perfect recipe for dangerous snow conditions. So people are strongly advised to stay away from waterwayshe mentioned.
Operations took place on Monday so that snowmobiles that remained on the site did not sink to the bottom of the lake.
Based on a report by Priscilla Plamondon Lalancette
Source: Radio-Canada
