Missing hiker found alive after more than a month in Canada

A missing Canadian hiker, for whom the authorities had given up the search, has been found alive and well, more than a month after he was reported untraceable. Sam Benastick from British Columbia was reported missing on October 19 after he failed to return from a 10-day fishing trip.

Missing since October 19

The 20-year-old hiker was on a fishing trip in Redfern-Keily Park in the northern Rocky Mountains, from where he was reported missing.

CREDIT: RCMP

Authorities gave up search

The multi-agency search for Benastick failed to produce any results, and after the temperatures in the region dropped to around -20°C at times, authorities stopped looking for him, fearing that he wouldn't survive the freezing cold.

How he was found

However, on Tuesday, to everyone’s surprise, Benastick re-emerged in relatively good shape for someone who had been lost in the woods for more than a month.

Two men, who were on their way to work on a trail to Redfern Lake, about 250 kilometres southwest of Fort Nelson, spotted Benastick in the woods. After recognising him as the missing hiker, the two men took him to a hospital, where police also confirmed his identity.

CREDIT: RCMP

What police said

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl Madonna Saunderson said the hiker had lost his way and that they were grateful he had been found.

Search and rescue volunteers and the hiker's family said his safe return was nothing short of miraculous.

“Sam told police that he stayed in his car for a couple of days and then walked to a creek and mountainside, where he camped out for 10-15 days,” said the RCMP statement.

“Then he moved down the valley and built a camp and shelter in a dried-out creek bed. He then made his way to where he flagged down the two men and was taken to safety.”

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