Cape Dorset (Dec 18/06) - Three Cape Dorset hunters who did not return to the hamlet on Dec. 9 were discovered alive and well on Dec. 12.

The residents were scheduled to return to be back in the hamlet on the Saturday. When they didn't return by early evening, volunteer searchers hit the tundra.

However, rescue operations were plagued with technical problems.

Two rescuers had snowmobile trouble and had to be rescued themselves. Another duo holed up in a cabin when bad weather hit.

By Monday, the searchers had to call upon air power. On Dec. 11, the RCMP, a Twin Otter plane from Iqaluit carrying three hunters familiar with the area and a Hercules aircraft from the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax were on the case.

At 4:22 p.m. on Dec. 11, the search was called off when the three hunters were located unharmed in a cabin outside of Cape Dorset.