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Rescuers chopped, paddled and eventually flew their way into a remote corner of Algonquin Park on the weekend to reach a 13-year-old boy who was seriously injured when a tree fell on his tent, according to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
OPP described the rescue Sunday night on social media.
They said a mother and son were camping on North Depot Lake in the sprawling park west of Ottawa when a tree fell on their tent around 10 p.m. during a strong overnight thunderstorm Saturday. Police said the boy was very seriously injured in the incident, but didn’t provide more details about his condition.
His mother sent out a call for help on one of her devices, relaying their location about 25 kilometres from the park entrance where rescuers gathered.
They couldn’t reach the boy by air because of the bad weather, so rescuers used hand saws to clear a roughly 25-kilometre path through downed trees and other debris until chainsaws arrived from the fire department in Deep River, allowing them to get ATVs through.
The team eventually reached water and rescuers were able to paddle a canoe the final 300 metres to the injured teen, and started giving first aid.
By 8:30 a.m. Sunday, a Ministry of Natural Resources float plane was able to touch down on the lake and airlift the boy to hospital for treatment.
The team on the ground included police from the Upper Ottawa Valley detachment, Renfrew County paramedics and park rangers, with other logistical support.
The rescue scene is about 60 kilometres west of Deep River, 95 kilometres southeast of North Bay and 215 kilometres northwest of downtown Ottawa.