Wandering dementia patient hit by train in White Rock

An elderly man with dementia was hit and seriously injured by a train after wanderingaway from his care facility in Metro VancouverSaturday night.

The man was struck bya northboundBurlington Northern Santa Fe freight train west of the pier at White Rock Beach at around 8 p.m. PT.

Policesaid the train engineer sounded the warning horn, butthe man continued to walktoward the train.

RCMP Insp. Bryon Massie said the man was conscious, breathing and talking when firstrespondersarrived.

An air ambulance helicopterwas brought in to fly the manto hospital, where he remains Sunday with undetermined head injuries.

Police closed the 14500 block of Marine Drive between High Street andBay Street Saturday night to investigate and document the scene, which is approximately one kilometre away from the man's residence.

Policesaidthe man was not reported missing from hiscare home until around 9 p.m. PT, roughly an hour after he was struck.

Stephen Bennett, executive director of Evergreen Baptist Care Home, confirmed the man had been living at the facility.

"This individualhad been living in one of our care units, and wandered away from our facility earlier that evening," Bennett said in a written statement sent to CBC News.

"Our primary concern is for the well-being of this individual, andtheir family. Our understanding is that the resident is currently recovering well in hospital, and we arehopeful for a speedy recovery."

Map: 14500 block Marine Drive, White Rock