Iqaluit (June 23/03) - An 18-year old Iqaluit man is dead after the all-terrain vehicle he was driving flipped over and pinned him to the ground.

Matthewsie Kunuk was attempting to climb a hill in an area 2.5 km. north of Road to Nowhere in Iqaluit early last Saturday morning when his ATV fell backwards and landed on him.

"There was trauma to the body from the ATV rolling back on him," said Const. Wilfred Jephson, an investigating officer.

The body was discovered at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. When police arrived, they saw the ATV overturned in a gulley.

Kunuk, who had been trapped beneath the ATV, was pronounced dead at the scene.

This type of accident is not all that common, Jephson said.

But, he added there are three or four ATV accidents every year.

While police have been involved in ATV safety and prevention programs in the past, Jephson said bylaw officials also conduct such awareness programs in Iqaluit.

"I've been fairly busy, so I'm not sure how much prevention-type work we've done in this area," he said.

Police say Kunuk's body lay unattended for 8 or 9 hours before it was discovered by someone who happened to be out on the land.