Fort Norman (June 30/03) - Four Tulita residents are safe and sound at home after a two-day ordeal left them stranded on a remote river.

RCMP detachment commander Cpl. Don Halina said the four individuals -- aged 25 to 40 -- were heading back to Tulita aboard a jet boat late June 19, when they took a detour that left them aground on a gravel bar about 8 kilometres up the Little Bear River.

They were discovered June 21 at about 5:30 p.m. by North-Wright Airways president Warren Wright aboard his Platus Porter float plane -- about two hours after the search began.

Halina said the group was fortunate they were found because the Little Bear is rarely travelled and no one from the party had told anyone they were heading there. He also said they didn't seem to have much experience jet boating.

"We had some warm weather, which brings out mosquitoes, no food, no provisions," said Halina. "So they had a couple tough days out there."

Otherwise, the foursome were in good health, he added. The group stayed with their boat during the ordeal.

Andrew Bailes, director of marketing and sales for North-Wright, said it only took about five minutes to find the boaters after he was asked to make a fly-over on the Little Bear.

They were rescued shortly afterwards by Tulita RCMP and local residents Michael Widow and James Etchinelle.

Bailes said Wright was already planning to take six traditional drummers from Tulita to Norman Wells to attend Aboriginal Day celebrations that day, but they didn't go because the boaters were relatives of theirs and they were sick with worry.

After that, Wright set out to look for them.

"We found them right away, it was a good thing for everybody," said Bailes. "We hate like heck when people start getting lost up here."