84-year old man survives four days in old well
84-year old Bob Bennett gives a thumbs up for his rescuers after spending four days in a pit near Benson Lake. Cpl. Terry Higginson (left) and police dog Nick led Port Alice RCMP Cst Mike Di Iorio (right) and Cpl. Michelle LeBrun (not pictured) to Bennett.
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Updated: June 25, 2009 11:23 AM
Bob Bennett, 84, is home safe and sound after spending four days in a dry well at Benson Lake.
Bennett's friend and business partner Barry Christenson alerted police to Bennett's disappearance just after midnight June 23. It had been several days since he had heard from, or seen Bennett. Mr. Christenson had gone to Bennett's home at Benson Lake, and found Bob's dog home alone, and other items left behind, which indicated Bennett had not planned to be away for any length of time.
Port Alice police responded at first light, bringing in a police dog to track Bennett. The daytime search of Mr. Bennett's sprawling property, which is located on an old mining site, began at first light by members of the Port Alice detachment. Heavy rain, and rugged terrain made search efforts arduous, and at times, very challenging.
Cpl Terry Higginson and police dog 'Nick', from the Courtenay RCMP Detachment, were called in to assist Cst Mike Di Ioro and Cpl. Michelle LeBrun of the Port Alice detachment. Police Dog 'Nick' takes the credit from here, said Cpl. Darren Lagan in a press release. Nick tracked, and alerted his handler, Cpl. Higginson, to a dry well shaft, located on the side of a mountain. At the bottom of that eight-foot well shaft, through a two-foot wide opening, Bob Bennett was found at 3:30 in the afternoon, alive, and well.
Bennett had spent four days in that well shaft, and to say he was relieved to see Nick and his human colleagues, would be an understatement.
"Mr. Benson, at 84 years old, has shown us that age means nothing when you have the will to survive", states Cpl. Michelle LeBrun of the Port Alice RCMP.
While the ground search was underway, staff in the RCMP Operational Communications Center were working behind the scenes, trying to locate multiple people who could assist with the search, and who had personal knowledge of Mr. Bennett's property. "The public likely aren't aware of the invaluable support that our dispatch center staff, who are all civilian employees, deliver to our officers in the field", states Cpl. Darren Lagan of the Island District RCMP. "We absolutely could not succeed in this kind of incident, without their support."
Bennett was transported to the Port Hardy Hospital for assessment. He was not visibly injured, but will be thoroughly examined and treated before release. After speaking with Bennett, police say it appears he was attempting to locate a water source on his property at the time he entered the dry well shaft where he became trapped.
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