British Columbia

Missing hiker found near Nanaimo, B.C., after 2 nights outside

A 20-year-old hiker has been found after he went missing near Nanaimo, B.C., on Saturday.

A helicopter spotted Spencer Hunt, 20, around 11:30 a.m. Monday

Spencer Hunt, 20, went missing Saturday afternoon when he got separated from a group of hikers near Nanaimo, B.C. (Nanaimo RCMP)

A hiker, who went missing near Nanaimo, B.C. Saturday, has been found.

Spencer Hunt, 20, was with a group that included his mother and family friends. They set off for Ammonite Falls, near Nanaimo, around 2 p.m. Saturday.

Searchers combed the area late into the night and all day Sunday before calling off the search Sunday evening, waiting until daybreak to resume.

Hunt was spotted by helicopter around 11:30 a.m. Monday.

Const. Gary O'Brien, of Nanaimo RCMP, said Hunt is very cold and hungry, and his first stop will be the hospital for assessment.

Crews searched all day Sunday

Overnight temperatures in the area were close to the freeezing mark both Saturday and Sunday night.

O'Brien said community members were keen to help in the search effort.

"When we were up there yesterday, there were hundreds of cars, there were people coming in droves," he said.

O'Brien said some people even showed up on horseback and with bloodhounds.

"Every side road was packed with cars and people going in, doing what they could do to find this individual."