MAYO, YUKON — Yukon RCMP are thanking a sharp-eyed highway worker who spotted a vehicle that slid down a steep embankment, trapping the driver for an estimated 24 hours before they were rescued.
A news release says Mayo RCMP received a report Monday morning about a missing person who was travelling from Dawson City and failed to arrive at their scheduled destination 500 kilometres away in Whitehorse.
Later that same morning, a Department of Highways and Public Works employee noticed a downed highway sign on the North Klondike Highway and discovered a vehicle that flipped onto its roof and slid approximately 65 metres down the embankment.
The news release says the driver was brought up the embankment by emergency personnel with the assistance of the Carmacks RCMP’s winch on their police vehicle.
The injured driver was transported by ambulance to the Carmacks Airport and medevaced to Whitehorse General Hospital.
A followup email from the RCMP says it's estimated the driver was down the embankment for about 24 hours before the vehicle was found.
"The keen observation and attention to detail of a highway worker were instrumental in discovering the vehicle and the trapped injured driver, who might have otherwise gone unnoticed," the news release says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025
The Canadian Press