7 News Belize

PC Ical Reunited With Family
posted (September 8, 2020)
Last night, our headline story was the happy news that Police Constable Ical, the officer who went missing somewhere in the wilds of the Colombia Forest Reserve, had turned up alive and well.

As we told you, he was sent to the Machaquila Observation Post on September second - and arrived on the third - only to be told that he and 8 BDF soldiers on the patrol had to turn right back around because of the approaching Hurricane Nana.

Somehow, on the journey back to the evacuation point, PC Ical became separated from the BDF soldiers, and he went missing in the jungles of the Toledo District for 5 days.

Today, he was reunited with his family - and he told us that it was the sound of a search helicopter, which led him back to the Machaquila base.

This morning, he was safely delivered to his family at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan. 7News was there for his arrival in that same helicopter - and Daniel Ortiz has that story:

After being lost in the jungles of the Toledo district for 5 days, Police Constable Bernard Ical arrived at the Police Training Academy this morning by chopper. He was given a very warm welcome home by his wife, his children, and his superiors from the police department.

Everyone was relieved to find him alive and in good health.

Chester Williams - Police Commissioner
"Let me give thanks to the Almighty for having kept PC Ical safe in the jungle for 6 days. And as well, a special thank you to the Belizean people who were all praying for his safe return to his family."

"It was a trying and sad time for us to know that while some of us were in our bed, every night, sleeping well, that the officer was out there in the wilderness alone."

PC Bernard Ical - Returned Home Safely
"I feel grateful, and thanks to God that I made it back to them alive."

Reporter
"I see that you were a bit emotional outside."

PC Bernard Ical
"Yeah."

Reporter
"Why?"

PC Bernard Ical
"Because out there in the jungle, being alone, it's very sad, and the worst day of your life."

So, how did he get separated from the BDF soldiers he was to be patrolling with?

Chester Williams - Police Commissioner
"We launched a number of search and rescue operations out of Punta Gorda Town, and primarily from the area of San Jose, Hawaii, which would be the start-off point when officers are deployed to Machaquila. You'd know that the distance from Machaquila to San Jose, Hawaii is up to a minimum of 12-14 hours walking, and could go up to 3 days of walking, depending on the speed and the amount of rest that one would take along the way. And so, it is no easy task. We know that on Wednesday of last week, PC Ical arrived at Machaquila camp, having walked quite a distance. And upon arrival there, they needed to evacuate due to the storm that was imminent. And so, they right away begin to pack to depart the OP, to head back to San Jose, Hawaii, which would be another minimum 14 hours walking."

PC Bernard Ical - Returned Home Safely
"I was following the patrol, and like, I lost sight of the patrol, and then from there, I must have taken the wrong track, and from there, I disappeared and got lost."

"What I did was to try and backtrack and find the right track, but I couldn't make it, and the patrol had already departed."

Reporter
"A Hurricane was passing over Belize around that time."

PC Bernard Ical
"Well, the weather in the jungle, it wasn't any joke to say. It was rough, wind, rain, everything."

Reporter
"Where did you take shelter?"

PC Bernard Ical
"My shelter, sometimes I took it in the jungle, and in the caves."

After stumbling around in the bush for several days, PC Ical's luck began to change when he heard the sounds of a helicopter flying over, no doubt in search of him.

Chester Williams
"Our search continued from the day he went missing, and we ramped the search party over the weekend. I personally went to Punta Gorda Town and assisted with the coordination of the search. And then, yesterday, the Minister and I decided to do a fly-over in the helicopter from Astrum. And while we were doing so, I told the pilot to hover the Garcia Farm area because we believe that if it is that he was lost, it could only be between Machaquila and Garcia Farm because the area that has many different picados that you can easily lose your bearing. And so, we did that hovering over Garcia Farm for about 20 minutes yesterday, hoping that PC Ical would be able to see the chopper, and that would be able to give him the ability to catch back his bearing and make his way out of the jungle. And thankfully, from what I have been briefed by PC Ical, that hovering yesterday was what helped him to have been able to regain his bearing, and made his way back to the Machaquila camp."

PC Bernard Ical
"When I heard the helicopter, I know that it was going to one direction, to Machaquila. So I said, if I don't go this direction, I'm going the wrong direction. So, the best way is to head to that place where the chopper takes, and maybe I can find my way."

Now that this officer is safe and sound, the Police Commissioner and the BDF Commander are in discussion to avoid a repeat of this situation, where a lawman is left behind in the jungle.

Chester Williams
"I'm not going to point fingers at anybody at this time. There are indeed some administrative issues that need to be worked out, and between myself and the General, we're going to work those out."

And for the cynics who suspect that maybe PC Ical went absent without leave and that he wasn't really lost.

Chester Williams
"PC Ical, his words were he didn't want to be extracted from the jungle. He wanted to continue his 2-week patrol. So, that goes to show the type of person he is, a very brave and courageous young man. But, I said to - when the message was relayed to me, I said, no, that he had been lost for 6 days. We cannot leave him behind there. His family has been worried and concerned. So, it was only fitting that we brought him out so that he could reunite with his family, and then, reorganize himself, and then we'll see when he will be deployed back to the jungle. But for now, we're going to allow him to go home with his family."

PC Ical, who is a father of two, will be given a few days off to spend with his family, and then, he will return to his post as part of the joint patrol. He told the press today that this mishap has not discouraged him from taking on this difficult assignment.

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