A Nanaimo couple missing in the bush for three days were found alive and well on Saturday. Nanaimo RCMP said Tamara Sandulak and Cody Martin, and their dog, Rex, were found at Moriarty Lake, about 35 kilometres west of Nanaimo, at 8:15 a.m.
The couple had not been seen since they left to go on a fishing trip to Echo Lake on Wednesday.
Their pickup truck got stuck in deep snow near Moriarty Lake, and they decided to stay in the truck for warmth in the hope that they would be found.
“They could hear choppers overhead, but they couldn’t be seen,” said Const. Gary O’Brien.
The couple had only prepared for a day trip and had just run out of food and water. On Saturday morning, they decided to walk out and find help. After a short distance they got cell reception. They called a family member and their location was found through the phone signal.
An RCMP helicopter was immediately dispatched to pick them up. All three were transported to the search-and-rescue command post at Second Lake, about 16 kilometres southeast of Moriarty Lake.
Other than being cold and hungry, all three were in relatively good health, said Const. Gary O’Brien.
An RCMP photo showed the couple and their dog knee-deep in snow. “It’s a cold, cold area. It’s high elevation. So it all came together. Sometimes you get a break and that’s exactly what happened. This is the outcome everyone was hoping and praying for,” said O’Brien.
He thanked all the dedicated volunteers. Search and rescue had 90 volunteers from across the Island. “This was a tremendous effort by so many,” said O’Brien.
Mosaic Forest Management, which owns the area, provided resources, maps and invaluable insight to the search areas, O’Brien said.
Mike Gogo, owner of Mike Gogo Cedar Products, allowed search and rescue to set up the command post on his property.
