A Richmond taxi driver was “invaluable” in helping police find an elderly woman who went missing from Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
The woman, who was with her husband, had gone missing in the wee hours of the morning on June 1, 2023 while waiting for a flight to Calgary.
“The woman was confused and disoriented with no means of communication,” said Cpl. Dennis Hwang, Richmond RCMP spokesperson.
He added security footage showed the woman leaving YVR on foot at around 5:30 a.m.
Police sent out a media release to local media, community groups and cab companies and embarked on a grid search until a taxi driver contacted police after seeing the release.
The woman was ultimately found near the overpass to YVR on Bridgeport Road at almost 11 a.m., Hwang told the Richmond News.
“She was reunited with her husband and flew to Calgary later that day,” he said.
The driver, who asked to remain anonymous, was recognized for “setting the example of how citizens can make a difference” in the community. He received an officer-in-charge certificate of appreciation from Richmond RCMP’s Insp. Kevin Beson.
