A 71-year-old pilot is safe and sound after being rescued after a couple of cold nights in the wilderness.

Happy Bednarek had intended to fly his small aircraft from Ashern to a Sisib Lake, which is south of Grand Rapids on January 12, 2019, but he never made it.

RCMP received a report that the pilot was overdue just after 6:45 pm. on Sunday, January 13, 2019.

Search and rescue deployed a Hercules aircraft from Trenton, Ontario in the early morning hours of Monday, January 14, 2019. The searchers were able to find a small fire on Pickerel Lake but weather conditions prevented SAR Techs from parachuting to the site.

RCMP were requested to use snowmobiles to investigate the fire and locate the pilot. A team was assembled consisting of RCMP and Sustainable Development officers and members from the Canadian Rangers.

As ground searchers travelled to the area the weather cleared and the SAR Techs were able to drop down around 6:30 am.

Bednarek, was located and was treated for dehydration.

The ground rescue team reached the site at about 2:30 pm. A helicopter was called and the pilot and SAR Techs were airlifted out of the area.

RCMP say that the pilot told them he had landed safely on Pickerel Lake for a pee break and to put gas in his two seater aircraft but when he tried to leave he was unable to restart his plane and was stranded