Against the Wild Page #4

like we're lost to me.

We're not lost.

All I need to do is

just find a clearing,

and I'll know

where I'm going.

Where did you learn

to do that?

Cub Scouts.

That doesn't fill me

with confidence.

"That doesn't

fill me with confidence. "

Zach, what are you doing?

He's thirsty.

He's spilling it

all over the place.

He's a dog.

Zach!

Come on, boy.

- Zach.

- We'll find the lake.

We'd better.

They're here, Robert.

Hi. I'm Robert Wade.

Captain Walker,

Mountain Search and Rescue.

This is Sergeant McCoy.

- Hey.

- Hi.

This is Bill Peters,

my aviation manager.

- Pleased to meet you.

- Hi, Bill.

So what can you tell us?

Well, our best guess

is that the plane

went down

about 50 miles from here,

to the south, obviously.

Our problem is

that we can't tell

how far off course the pilot

might have strayed.

So, "best guess," does that mean

that you can't pinpoint

exactly where the plane

went down?

We could,

depending on the ELT.

That's the emergency

locator transmitter.

It sends out an automatic

distress signal.

It's g-force-activated on

impact.

The newer ELTs are digital.

They carry detailed information

about the aircraft and the owner,

and they give

precise GPS coordinates.

The exact location

can sometimes be pinpointed

in as little as five minutes.

Well, Charlie had one of those

on his plane, didn't he?

No, Robert, we're still using

the analog ELTs.

What?

That technology is outdated.

The signal is no longer

detectable by satellite,

only ground-based receivers,

and that's if they're near one.

Why didn't you upgrade

the planes, Bill?

I've been fighting with Ackerman

on this for years.

The analog ELTs are still legal.

You know the old man.

He's never going to cough up

for new ones

until he's forced to.

Well, you should have

come to me.

It wouldn't

have been any use.

Gentlemen, please.

I'm sorry, Bill.

I know it's not your fault.

Okay.

Charlie and the kids...

what are their chances?

Well, our best-case scenario

is that they had

a successful water landing.

We know they've got

enough supplies in the plane

to last them

until we find them.

But if they went down

in the forest...

well, sometimes

there are survivors.

We're establishing a base camp

about a mile from here,

we're gathering a team

to coordinate the search effort,

and a helicopter is being

brought in from Goose Bay.

Okay, how long

is that going to take?

Three to four hours.

My kids are out there.

- I understand, Mr. Wade...

- No, you don't.

Now, I have a chopper here.

It'll be dark soon,

and our helicopter

has thermal-imaging

equipment.

We can see people on the ground

right through the trees.

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