Missing women found May 3 northwest of Iqaluit

(Updated 8:25 p.m.)

The search for two Iqaluit women who went missing during a fishing trip on the Sylvia Grinnell River over the weekend ended in the early evening of May 3, when a hunter found them attempting to walk back to Iqaluit.

Chris Wilson, Iqaluit’s director of emergency and protective services, confirmed the information in a tweet written at around 7:15 p.m. May 3.

The pair were found walking about 100 km northwest of Iqaluit. A helicopter was dispatched to pick them up and return them to Iqaluit, where they were to have been taken to the hospital for check-up.

As many as 30 searchers were involved in the effort to find the women, aged 20 and 23, who split up from their fishing party to relieve themselves May 1 and weren’t seen since.

Iqaluit Mayor Madeleine Redfern said high winds and low visibility hampered the search May 2.

“There were points that I understand the guys just hunkered down while they waited for weather to clear because sometimes they couldn’t see beyond a foot,” Redfern said.

But with better weather May 3, search crews were joined by a Twin Otter and helicopter who are scouring the area near Sylvia Grinnell Lake. The women reportedly were travelling with warm clothing, snacks and a Thermos, but the wet and windy weather of May 2 has officials concerned as the search approached the 48-hour mark.

“Everyone’s just getting very worried and anxious,” Redfern said.

When they were found, the women were reported to be cold, but appeared to be otherwise unharmed.

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