B.C. Rescuers Use Helicopter-Mounted Cell Tower to Save Missing Cyclist

Search-and-rescue crews in British Columbia have turned to cutting-edge technology to bring a missing man home safe.

On Friday, North Shore Rescue (NSR) joined Nanaimo SAR in the search for a man who had gone missing after crashing his e-bike the day before. There had been faint cellphone contact, but no exact coordinates.

That’s when crews deployed their newly acquired LifeSeeker unit, a $250,000 device mounted on a helicopter that acts like a portable cell tower. By connecting with the missing man’s phone—if it was still powered on—the unit could pinpoint his location in otherwise signal-free backcountry.

“We’re the first, that I believe, to ever use it in a volunteer search-and-rescue capacity, and I don’t know if anybody else in Canada has this device,” said NSR search manager Allan McMordie.

The system worked: the man was found and brought to safety. McMordie said without the LifeSeeker, rescuers would have struggled to locate him. He credited the successful outcome to years of planning, training, and community donations that made the purchase possible.

LifeSeeker technology has already been used in hundreds of missions worldwide, but Friday’s rescue marks a first for B.C. volunteer crews. McMordie expects the tool will see wider use in the province—especially as most missing hikers and cyclists now carry cellphones.

Still, he urged outdoor adventurers not to rely solely on their devices. “Preserve that battery power. Take an external pack. Keep it warm. And always carry the basics—a compass, light, and first aid kit,” he said.

For NSR, the new tool represents a leap forward in search-and-rescue work, proving that sometimes the quickest path to safety is through technology.