5-year-old playing hide-and-seek, found by RCMP helicopter in Mission

Mounties in Mission say a police helicopter crew spotted a five-year-old boy after he went missing during a game of hide-and-seek.

Police say the boy was at a children’s camp near Mission on Tuesday when he walked away from the rest of the group playing in a forested area.

Staff and the boy’s parents searched for him for about an hour before they called police for help.

RCMP say they co-ordinated a search and called out a large contingent of resources, including Mission Search and Rescue, the police dog service, the integrated emergency response team and an RCMP helicopter.

The helicopter crew spotted the boy under a tree, standing near a creek about a kilometre from where he was last seen and searchers on the ground were able to quickly get to the boy.

The RCMP say in a statement that the boy was uninjured and in good spirits.

Police say the search effort highlights the importance of calling them as soon as someone goes missing.

“Even little legs can travel a surprisingly far distance in a short amount of time,” Cpl. Harrison Mohr with Mission RCMP said.

“No one wants to have to report a child as missing, but it’s so important to do so as soon as you realize that you can’t find them _ especially somewhere like this, where we had to be aware of potential hazards including the forest, a creek, and the nearby lake.”

Mohr said every minute counts in these types of situations.