Reports of a possible drowning off White Rock鈥檚 West Beach Monday led to an emergency train stop for BNSF and a short ride along the tracks for the emergency crew that responded.
According to marine search and rescue (RCM-SAR5) officials, a woman was located unconscious on the beach about a kilometre west of the boat launch.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said the co-ordinated effort to transport her from the rocky terrain of West Beach to waiting emergency vehicles Monday morning was a 鈥渞are situation.鈥�
Melonas said White Rock RCMP first contacted BNSF鈥檚 dispatching office around 11 a.m. Monday to ask that a southbound freight train make an emergency stop so that police could cross the tracks 鈥渁pproximately one-half mile to the north of the north steps鈥� to investigate a 鈥渄istress call.鈥�
Police then requested assistance in transporting an injured individual to waiting emergency vehicles.
鈥淭he terrain was just too rugged to walk this individual a significant distance,鈥� Melonas said. 鈥淲e positioned (the train) closer to the individuals鈥� so it was an easier climb to the locomotive.鈥�
The emergency team and patient were transported in the cab of the lead locomotive, Melonas said.
He did not have details of the incident that prompted the call, but said the entire process took about an hour and prompted 鈥渁 handful鈥� of calls to BNSF from people curious about what had transpired.
