Photo: Engine trouble grounds medevac in Arctic Bay

A Keewatin Air medevac plane sits on the tarmac in Arctic Bay Sept. 19 after a tense landing, say local sources. The plane was dispatched to Arctic Bay to pick up a patient for transport to Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit but it had trouble with one of its engines and was grounded, says Ron Wassink, spokesperson for the Government of Nunavut’s health department. The patient was never on board the broken down plane and the airline sent another aircraft to pick up the patient, Wassink said. “There was no adverse affect suffered by the patient as a result of the delay,” Wassink said Sept. 21. A spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board said they had no information on the incident. A call to Keewatin Air was not returned by our press time. The company, owned by Exchange Income Corp., operates its air ambulance service under the name Nunavut Lifeline. (PHOTO BY CLARE KINES)