Iqaluit hunters thank Coast Guard, Iqaluit emergency department

When we were coming back last weekend from the Tungait outpost camp over 100 kilometres from Iqaluit and we got to Nuvutialujak, it started to get dark and we went into a heavy snowfall.

It got dark, so I pulled out the GPS. When it got dark, I knew we were near Frobisher’s Farthest. About 15 to 20 minutes later it started to snow really heavily and then the GPS arrow started to turn. All of a sudden we hit a shoal and the boat started taking on water right away.

My son Levi grabbed the satellite phone, then got off the boat, then my father-in-law Inookie. Elijah was already off the boat.

Then I realized the boat was not sinking right away. I started throwing our sleeping bags, tent, stove, and lantern, then I got off and we took whatever we had unloaded and started putting it on higher ground.

I told my son, “I forgot something,” and he told me “it’s too late, the boat just sunk.”

I called the emergency department in Iqaluit and started communicating with Michael Salamonie. He told me two boats had left to find us, plus the Coast Guard.

I gave them the GPS co-ordinates and about an hour and a half later we saw a light coming towards us. Then the light started to turn. We kept on flashing our lights towards the boat and when they saw our lights they started heading towards us.

It was the Coast Guard crew. We were brought to the ship, checked by the nurse and brought home the next day.

The GPS co-ordinates we gave them were two and a half miles off our location. I was told by one of the rescue crew that the GPS doesn’t always work in heavy snow because it loses the satellite.

Here are the people we would like to thank:

• Michael Salamonie of the Iqaluit fire department;

• Capt. Mark Rothwell and the entire crew of the Louis St. Laurent;

• Qaumagiaq Mitsima;

• Joanasie Kilabuk;

• Jim Noble Jr.;

• David Akeagok; and

• Jason Aliqatuktuk.

Thank you so much. Because of you guys, we are still here and thanks to God for helping them to help us.

David Kownirk
Inookie Adamie
Levi Inookie
Elijah Ineak
Iqaluit