Snow plow operators went above and beyond to rescue two motorists who recently found themselves stuck on the Trans-Canada Highway in severe weather on February 17, 2025.
On Monday morning, the Wreckhouse area, north of Port aux Basques, experienced extremely poor winter driving conditions with snow and high winds with gusts of up to 150 km/h. During this time, Channel-Port aux Basques RCMP received separate reports of two motorists who were stranded on the highway, due to these adverse weather conditions.
After becoming stuck, one motorist opened the door of the vehicle which blew off with the wind. The vehicle, with three occupants inside, was at risk of blowing over an embankment. Another motorist founds themselves stuck partially off of the highway in white out conditions.
With severely poor road conditions, police and other first responders were unable to travel on the TCH. Snow plow operators with the provincial department of Transportation and Infrastructure, based out of Doyles and Port aux Basques, located the stranded motorists and brought them to safety.
RCMP NL thanks the involved snow plow operators for going above and beyond to potentially save the lives of those stranded.
Those heading out on the highways at this time of year are encouraged to follow RCMP NL's social media accounts, including Facebook and X, for updates on road closures or condition. Additionally, prior to travel, motorists are encouraged to familiarize themselves with alerts and forecasts issued by various meteorologists or agencies, including Environment Canada. Motorists who choose to drive during poor road conditions may find themselves stuck for a number of hours, as emergency personnel may be unable to respond.