A New Zealand kayaker says a boatload of tourists who rescued him and a Canadian woman probably saved the couple's lives - even though the tourists themselves later needed rescuing by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Reuben Elers, of Auckland, and Cailyn Donelon, of Alberta, were three days into their
planned week-long kayaking trip down Canada's longest river, the Mackenzie, when they realised they wouldn't be able to complete the trip because of bad weather, exhaustion and some health problems.
They set up camp and called the RCMP, and police asked a boat run by Up North Tours to pick them up.
Mr Elers said he and Ms Donelon were both cold and wet: "To see the boat coming down the river was wicked."
Both said they were grateful for the ride, which "probably saved our lives", Mr Elers said.
"I don't know what the other option would have been," he said.
But the rescue vessel, a 7.5m aluminum boat, owned by Up North Tours and carrying 10 tourists, then ran aground on a sandbar. It was about 50km from the Native American village of Tuktoyaktuk which is north of the Arctic Circle, and about 2000km north of the major city of Edmonton.
The impact caused some injuries among the tour group, ranging from cuts and bruises to a concussion, the Northern News Service reported.
Police abandoned a Canada Day holiday parade in the village and went to the rescue - hitting a sandbar themselves during the 50km voyage, said Constable Philip Unger.
"We actually had some issues with low water and sandbars as well," he said.
The Mounties said the two kayakers - aged in their mid-20s - had apparently been exhausted.
- NZPA
