Search for Kimmirut mayor enters seventh day

A search for Kimmirut’s missing mayor, 67-year-old Jamesie Kootoo, continued Dec. 2, with searchers taking advantage of better weather.

The search activities began Nov. 26, when Kootoo did not return from a caribou hunting trip.

He was last seen near Qurvik Lake, where he was having trouble with either his qamutik or sled.

At that time, he told the hunting party he was travelling with that he would catch up with them later.

About 30 to 40 volunteers are helping with the search, including five people from Iqaluit, as well as aerial spotters from CASARA aboard a Twin Otter, the RCMP said in an update.

Dec. 1, when skies cleared over much of the area, was the first clear day for good searching, the RCMP said.

Search teams, including searchers based on the Twin Otter, plan to continue their efforts for the next few days and on Dec. 2, were concentrating on an area to the east of their base camp, which is now manned 24 hours a day.

“They are concentrating in one area where he could have gone and gotten stuck or run out of gas,” Sgt. Jimmy Akavak said.

“It could be anything up there and the committee says they are not going stop until they know what happened for sure.”

Searchers still hope to find Kootoo in good condition, Akavak said.