Canadian Rangers from Nunavik find missing helicopter

Canadian Rangers from Nunavik yesterday found a helicopter that went missing July 17, when it took off from Kangirsuk en route to Cape Dorset via Kangiqsujuaq, Canwest News Service has reported.

Searchers found the badly-damaged helicopter in a rugged area. Both occupants, including the pilot, were dead, Canwest reported.

The VOCM radio station in St. John’s reported the pilot was a man in his 30s from Gander. The names of the dead have not yet been released.

The Bell 206 chopper, owned by Canadian Helicopters, left Kangirsuk last Friday night and was headed for a refuelling stop at Kangiqsujuaq, said Capt. Mark Peebles, senior public affairs officer at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario.

The helicopter, carrying two people on board, was bound for Cape Dorset after the stop in Kangiqsujuaq.

It left Kangirsuk just after 1:30 p.m. July 17. Around six hours later Canadian Helicopters declared the flight overdue and phoned the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Peebles said.

The JRCC dispatched a Hercules aircraft to scour the area. Volunteer spotters from Iqaluit are on board that plane, Peebles said.

An Aurora aircraft that was “in the neighbourhood” en route to 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia also took part in the search, Peebles added.

Canadian Rangers from Nunavik were recently called in to help with the search.

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