Twenty-one youths and three chaperones stranded by a storm on Slocan Lake have been escorted to safety.
The Kootenay Columbia school district says the students are part of the outdoor education program at Stanley Humphries Secondary in Castlegar.
The students were on a multi-day canoeing trip when they ran into a big storm Tuesday night.
“Due to the deteriorating weather conditions, the field trip leader made the decision to end the trip this morning,” the district said.
Castlegar Search and Rescue was contacted so students could be ferried out of the area. However, three students were taken to hospital in New Denver for medical assessment due to minor exposure. They have since been released.
The remaining students, trip leader, and other chaperones are safe and have returned home.
Search and rescue manager Gord Ihlen said the group hunkered down on the beach at Nemo Creek while waiting for help to arrive. It’s not clear when the distress call went out, but Ihlen said he received a call at about 6:30 this morning.
Search and rescue extracted the students in groups using a jet boat. As of 12:30 p.m., 16 had been brought to the boat launch at Slocan and an hour later all 24 had been rescued. Ihlen described them as cold and wet but in good spirits.
The Village of Slocan put out a call for blankets and clothing and said it received a quick response.