Sonar searchers find remains of missing Nunavut boater

The Nunavut RCMP said today that the remains of 29-year-old Solomon Tulurialik of Baker Lake have been found.

On July 31, Tulurialik went missing after he attempted to swim to shore from a boat that had run out of gas.

The community of about 2,000 engaged in an exhaustive search after Tulurialik’s disappearance, the RCMP said in a release.

They fund-raised for the local search and rescue team and to bring in a rover team with that used specialized underwater equipment.

“All efforts have failed to locate Solomon and formal search efforts were suspended in consultation with all parties,” the release said.

But community members continued to fundraise and brought in the Minnesota firm Crossmon Consulting, a sonar team specializes in drowning victim recovery.

On Sept. 13, on their second day of searching, the Crossmon team located Tulurialik’s remains in about 30 metres (99 feet) of water, approximately 500 metres from shore, police said.

“The coroner was notified and is now leading the case,” the news release said.

Tulurialik, a haul truck driver for Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., who was working most recently for Arctic Fuel, in Baker Lake, was known as a great guy, residents say.

Known by the nickname “Salahockey” or Sala, he coached minor hockey this past year in the midget division and was also involved with the senior men’s hockey league.

“Not only was he a good role model for his players and his community, but also a good singer and musician,” said Karen Yip, who co-ordinated communications for the search effort in Baker Lake.