Air Support Unit Leads Successful Rescue of Lost Hikers In Northern Range

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Two (2) hikers who became lost in the Northern Range between Monday (30th March, 2026) and Tuesday (31st March, 2026), were successfully rescued by Officers of the Air Support Unit. The unit was also instrumental in assisting a 60-year-old distressed hiker to make his way out of the Northern Range last week, on Thursday 26th March, 2026.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), the hikers had ventured off course while attempting to access the airplane crash site via Bamboo Cathedral, Macqueripe, and subsequently became disoriented in dense forest terrain.

Upon receiving the report, the TTPS said the Air Support Unit responded immediately, deploying advanced drone technology to initiate aerial search operations. Establishing early communication and situational awareness, the unit was able to rapidly assess the challenging environment and direct resources efficiently.

Utilizing state-of-the-art FLIR (thermal imaging) systems, Air Support Unit personnel successfully identified the precise location of the hikers, despite low visibility, dense vegetation, and fading light. The unit maintained continuous aerial overwatch throughout the night, providing real-time intelligence and navigation support to ground teams, including the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) and Coastal Support Unit, operating in difficult and hazardous terrain.

The TTPS notes that this sustained aerial co-ordination “proved pivotal to the success of the operation, significantly enhancing the effectiveness and safety of ground personnel. Guided by accurate, live data from the Air Support Unit, Officers of the Multi Option Police Section (MOPS), were able to navigate extremely harsh terrain directly to the hikers’ location and execute the rescue during the early hours of Tuesday morning.”

Both individuals were safely extracted and medically assessed, with no serious injuries reported.

The operation also benefitted from initial support provided by volunteer search and rescue personnel, along with technical assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS).

The TTPS said it “commends the exceptional professionalism, technical expertise, and dedication of the Air Support Unit, whose decisive actions and advanced capabilities were instrumental in achieving a successful outcome. The co-ordinated efforts of all responding agencies further underscore the strength of inter-agency collaboration in emergency response operations.”

This operation was sanctioned by DCP - Operations, Ms. Martin, strategically co-ordinated by ACP - Tactical Support, Mr. Hazel, and directly supervised by Ag. ASP Rampallard and Ag. Insp. Matas.

The TTPS is reminding members of the public to “exercise caution when hiking, ensure proper planning, and inform reliable contacts of their intended routes before entering remote or forested areas.”

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