A 16-year-old hiker who went missing in Golden Ears Park in British Columbia has been found safe and reunited with her family, according to a news release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Esther Wang, part of a hiking group, got lost on a trail in the park on Tuesday, June 27, but was discovered unharmed two days later.
After Wang separated from her group around 3 p.m., attempts to contact her were unsuccessful, prompting the group to notify park officials who then alerted the RCMP. The RCMP promptly activated the Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue team to initiate search efforts.
Wang wrote in a letter published online, “At one point, the group made a turn somewhere along the trail, but I did not notice because I was solely concentrating on following the trail right in front of me.”
“I was filled with hopelessness and fear, but I knew I could not give up,” She continued.
On the evening of Thursday, June 29, after approximately 54 hours since she went missing, Wang emerged from the East Canyon trail on her own, the same path she was hiking when she became separated. Wang was exhausted and sore, having endured mosquito bites, but did not sustain any serious injuries, as confirmed by RCMP Sergeant Keith Schendel.
Schendel further explained that Wang had taken a wrong turn while descending the mountain but managed to find her way out by following a waterway and utilizing the food and water she had with her, which sustained her during her two nights in the wilderness.
“I continued to encourage myself to keep moving forward and to not give up yet. It was around 9:15 p.m. when the gravel road ended at the Gold Creek parking lot, and I could see some people in the distance. I waved and immediately, I recognized my parents and I tried to run towards them.”
Following her rescue, Wang was assessed for her health and subsequently reunited with her relieved family later that same evening. The RCMP news release expressed gratitude from Wang’s family for the efforts of the first responders and search groups involved in finding her and requested privacy at this time.
“She is healthy, she is happy and she is with family,” RCMP Superintendent Wendy Mehat wrote in the statement.
RCMP Sergeant Keith Schendel told CityNews that Wang had no serious injuries.
“She’s fine, just extremely fatigued and sore, bitten by mosquitoes,” he told the outlet. “So she’s going to be taking some time to rest.”
Ryan Smith, a member of the search committee that coordinated the efforts of 16 teams, expressed elation at the successful outcome of the search and emphasized that the primary objective was to return Esther to her family. Smith also expressed gratitude to the RCMP, other first responders, and helicopter companies for their assistance during the extensive search operation.