Boat found, Salluit family lost

A Hercules, Twin Otter, speedboats and canoes combed the coastal waters near Salluit this week, but did not find any signs of Mark Papigatuk, Martha Kilabuk, and their eight-year-old son Markussie, who were lost at sea last Sunday night.

An airborne search and rescue team, with help from the Coast Guard, Canadian Rangers, the Kativik Regional Police Force and local residents conducted the search.

Papigatuk and his family were returning from a trip to gather eider-down between Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq when they and two other parties in freighter canoes were caught in strong winds and rough waters. The other two boats barely managed to make it to shore.

Searchers found Papigatuk’s empty boat on Monday.

On Tuesday night, the Coast Guard called off their search after they had determined the boat had never reached shore and that the water temperature of 1 to 3 C. was too cold for anyone to survive for more than two hours.

As of Nunatsiaq News press-time this week, the community was debating whether to continue the search at their own expense.

Papigatuk is a Makivik Corporation board member and former president of Nunavik’s Anguvigaq hunting and trapping organization. His common-law wife is originally from Pangnirtung.