THE Ridge Meadows RCMP on Tuesday presented awards to five young South Asian men — Ajay Kumar, Arvindjeet Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Kuljinder Singh — who rescued two men stranded on a steep rocky slope near rushing river water near the Lower Falls in Golden Ears Provincial Park.

The five men, who had gone hiking, removed their personal turban headwear, tying them and their jackets together as a makeshift rope to save the helpless men, the RCMP said.

The Officer in Charge of Ridge Meadows RCMP, Superintendent Wendy Mehat, and Inspector Jayson Lucash praised the men for their quick thinking and heroic action and presented them the Community Leadership Awards. The five appreciated the RCMP honouring them for their action.

These are actually the first of the new awards that the Ridge Meadows RCMP have designed for those in the community who have done something above and beyond in service to others, Constable Julie Klaussner told The VOICE.

Photos by JAY SHARMA of Mahi Photo Studio