Canadian Forces help search for missing Hall Beach hunter

Canadian Forces aircraft are helping out in the search for a Hall Beach hunter who failed to return to the community March 10.

Ground searchers from the community started a search that day for a man in his 20s who did not return home when expected from a caribou-hunting excursion outside the community, the hamlet office said.

The man was part of small hunting party of three. Other members of the group returned to the community from a weekend of hunting around noon on Monday, and the third man failed to follow them, said Haley MacNeil-Smith, senior administrative officer for the hamlet.

The community called on Nunavut Search and Rescue that evening at 9 p.m., she said.

According to RCMP, the Royal Canadian Air Force joined the search effort on March 12 with a CC-130 Hercules from 435 Squadron, based in Winnipeg, as well as a CC-138 Twin Otter from 440 Squadron in Yellowknife.

“The Civil Aviation Search and Rescue Association also provided spotters aboard the RCAF aircraft,” Nunavut RCMP said in a news release March 12.

“The CC-130 Hercules has since returned to its base and the Twin Otter continues to support the search.”

Hall Beach search crews continued their search on the land March 13 with added help on the ground, with help from the air.

“They’re covering more ground” with added help from Canadian Rangers, MacNeil-Smith said.

Weather conditions on Monday were windy, she said, but have been sunny and clear since then.