One injured in snowmobile crash

A snowmobile rider was airlifted to a Hamilton hospital following a crash on the Friendship Trail in Port Colborne Thursday evening.

Port Colborne Fire and Emergency Services Chief Tom Cartwright said three snowmobiles were eastbound on the trail, which runs between Port Colborne and Fort Erie, when the crash took place at just after 9: 30 p. m.

“They were between Silver Bay and Wyldewood roads … travelling in a row. The first snowmobile stopped for a gentleman walking his dog on the trail, to let him pass.”

Cartwright said the second snowmobile was able to get stopped behind the first one, but the last snowmobile was not able to stop in time and crashed into the second, striking the driver in the back.

Firefighters, Niagara Emergency Services paramedics and Niagara Regional Police all responded to the call. The fire service had trucks and manpower respond to both Wyldewood and Silver Bay roads to access the trail.

Cartwright said the crash took place closer to the Silver Bay road end of the trail.

The trail is used by hikers, walkers, runners, cyclists, and rollerbladers throughout the spring, summer and fall. It is not cleared in the winter months.

Motorized vehicles are not permitted to use the trail.

Firefighters, said Cartwright, had to remove poles at both ends of the trail to access it.

“We have keys for the posts,” he said.

As the posts were being removed, paramedics were making their way down the trail to get to the patient.

Cartwright used his vehicle, a fourwheeldrive truck, to get down the trail.

“I was surprised, but the snow was pretty well packed and I was able to get on top of it and stay on top with no difficulty.”

Cartwright said if the trail had proved impassable, there were more than enough firefighters on scene to carry the patient out in the rescue basket by hand.

Once firefighters and paramedics reached the patient, they stabilized the person and put them in a rescue basket, which was then placed in the back of Cartwright’s truck.

The patient was taken to the Silver Bay Road end of the trail and then taken by paramedics to Welland hospital, and later flown to a Hamilton hospital by an ORNGE air ambulance.

It was unknown what injuries the rider suffered and what condition they were in.