RCMP were asked to check on a man near Maidstone, Sask., but didn't. He died hours later

Saskatchewan RCMP say they failed to complete a wellness check on a man in rural Saskatchewan. Hours later the man was found with "serious" injuries. He would later die in hospital.

The province's police watchdog has now been called in to investigate.

In a statement, the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) confirmed it will examine the conduct of police during the incident, including the actions and omissions associated with the police response to the initial call for service.

In a news release, RCMP said that at approximately 7:14 a.m. CST on Wednesday, officers at the Maidstone detachment were asked to conduct a wellness check at a home in the Rural Municipality of Britannia, an area that sits along the Saskatchewan/Alberta border just north of Lloydminister.

SIRT has now released more details about the incident than were originally provided by RCMP.

The watchdog says a relative requested the wellness check on a 68-year-old after being informed they were dead.

The call was dispatched to an on-call member of the Maidstone detachment. RCMP have confirmed that no physical check on the man happened.

More than nine hours later, at 4:30 p.m. CST, the relative once again contacted the RCMP and requested an update on the wellness check, according to SIRT.

At 4:39 p.m. CST the RCMP officer originally dispatched to the request left the Maidstone department.

Then, at approximately 5:01 p.m. CST, RCMP received a call from another relative of the man, who had physically gone to the 68-year-old's home. That relative reported that the man was seriously injured but alive, SIRT said.

RCMP officers arrived a short time later and found the man. EMS was contacted and the 68-year-old was transported to hospital, where he later died.

RCMP say the man's family has been notified and victim services will be made available to them.

The Mounties say they are investigating the circumstances around the man death in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.

SIRT was contacted as required under The Police Act and RCMP have directed all media inquiries to SIRT.