Little is known about a canoeist who activited a full-blown air search and rescue operation out of Comox, B.C., last Saturday.

Capt. Doug Strachan of the search and rescue co-ordination headquarters out of Victoria said this morning the centre received a call from a high-flying jumbo jet whose crew had detected a transmission from an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) at 2:30 p.m.

As ELTs are reserved by law strictly for aircraft use, a Buffalo search and rescue aircraft was dispatched from Comox to search the area, near Quiet Lake and the Big Salmon River in the Yukon, for a downed aircraft, Strachan explained.

He said there was also a civilian aircraft dispatched out of Whitehorse, as well as a Cormorant helicopter out of Comox some time later.,

Some five hours after the high flying jet reported the distress signal, the Buffalo reached the scene and determined the ELT had been manually activited by canoeists.

Strachan said an air search and rescue exercise was cancelled, the RCMP were contacted and the Buffalo returned to Whitehorse, and then Comox. The Cormorant had been dispatched but was turned around just over an hour out of its Vancouver base.

Whitehorse General Hospital spokesman Val Pike said a man was treated for a sprained wrist and released at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Strachan said it is illegal to use an ELT for any purpose other than to serve as a beacon for a downed aircraft, noting there are specific emergency transmitters for use by those on land and those travelling by water.

Any follow-up investigation into the matter, said Strachan, falls under the responsibility of Transport Canada.

Officials with Transport Canada were unavailable for comment on whether there is an investigation into the incident, and whether it will be pursuing the cost of the operation.

Gerry Whitley of the local Civilian Air Search and Rescue Association said while en route to the search area, the Buffalo stopped in Whitehorse to refuel and pick up two local spotters. Providing the spotters, he said, is the reponsibility of the local association.

Accompanying the Buffalo to the area was a local float plane assigned to the job by the local association.

Whitley said the Buffalo was able to talk to communicate with the canoeists after dropping them a radio.

The two spotters were returned to Whitehorse when the Buffalo stopped to refuel for its return journey.

It's not clear how the tourists came to be in possession of an ELT as their emergency beacon.

Staff at both The Kanoe People and Up North, two of the city's larger outdoor rental outfits, indicated this morning they provide their clients with either Personal Land Beacons or satellite phones.

Kalin Pallet of Up North said he's not sure where the canoeists were rescued from, but noted his company has been cautioning clients about the dangers of the Big Salmon River with such high water.

Some rivers like the Yukon River remain OK to paddle in high water, but the Big Salmon, under those conditions, can be a hazard for even the most experienced paddlers, he said.