A canoe floating down the river led police, fire and STARS ambulance on a bit of a wild goose chase yesterday afternoon. Emergency services conducted a search believing someone might have fallen out of the canoe and was in distress.
The crews included three RCMP police cars, two ambulances, one fire engine and STARS helicopter. After searching for over an hour, it was decided no person was in need of aid.
Later that evening, after seeing news reports of the scene, a man called in to report he was thrown from his canoe though he was able to make it to shore safely.
Cst. Kary Moore from Cochrane RCMP said while it's important to report any lost watercraft, anyone who sees abandoned equipment on the water should always call 911.
"It is important to call 911 when you see an unoccupied boat or canoe, because that is an unusual occurrence and can mean that something is very, very wrong," Moore explained.
"If you see a boat or paddle board or anything in the water that normally should have a person on it or in it and you cannot see that person, you should call 911 immediately."
