Rescuers saved a Sylvan Lake man after his sailboat capsized and he spent 90 minutes in the chilly waters of Gull Lake on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bentley Fire Department received an emergency call at about 12:30 p.m. from a bystander who had seen the boat capsize on the lake. Bentley, about 45 kms northwest of Red Deer, is located just southwest of the lake.
Deputy fire chief Ian McLaren said the bystander thought the person was in the water. He told the fire department that the man had capsized on the southeast side of the lake, near the Summer Village of Gull Lake.
The Bentley fire department called on the City of Lacombe fire department immediately, as well as conservation officers from the campground, so they could bring their boats.
Eight volunteer firefighters from Bentley attended.
Ed Van Delden, fire chief for the City of Lacombe, said that they were called to help out since they have a Zodiac boat.
“There was seven of us that went out, but only two of us went out in the boat,” Van Delden said this afternoon.
“Apparently, the person had been in the water for some time.”
An Alberta Parks boat crew was also called out and an ambulance responded to the scene.
“By the time we received the call and got out there, it (the boat) was a good half mile out or more out on the water,” said McLaren.
The Alberta Parks boat and the Lacombe fire department boat were both launched from Aspen Beach Provincial Park. The eyewitness was over at the composting site, so he used his boat as well.
All three boats made a concerted effort to track the man down.
“We found the (sail) boat initially and then they did a search pattern from the boat and were able to locate the person in the water,” said McLaren.
The bystander’s boat had a platform so it was easier to get the man onto that boat, said McLaren.
The 56-year-old man was wearing a life-jacket. He told rescuers that he estimated he had been in the water for about 90 minutes. The man was rescued about 2 p.m.
“After we got him in, we started warming him up,” said McLaren. “He was fairly hypothermic by the time we got to him.”
A temperature gauge reported the lake being at 15.5 C. The temperature is warmer than normal for this time of year, said McLaren.
An ambulance transferred the man to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
McLaren said he didn’t know why the sailboat capsized.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com