Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, September 19, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A boat carrying four people was found Tuesday on Great Slave Lake, seven hours after the party was declared missing.

A search for a 22-foot long blue and white Bayliner boat was launched after a family member reported them overdue in Lutsel K'e. The boat left Yellowknife for the eight-hour trip at 7 p.m. Sunday. Onboard were Antoine Michel, his wife Mary-Jane Michel, Mary-Jane's sister Marina Catholique and Antoine Michel's aunt, Madeline Drybone, an elder from Lutsel K'e.

A search was conducted originating out of Lutsel K'e by private air charters Tuesday morning. A second air search was conducted by the Civilian Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA). RCMP Sgt. Bruce McGregor said the group was spotted about 100km outside of Yellowknife near Blanchette Island by CASARA. He thanked the group for their efforts.

A boat from East Arm Freighting reported to the RCMP shortly after the missing boat was spotted that they had made contact with the vessel after docking in the same area to wait out bad weather conditions, said McGregor.

Sgt. McGregor said the group appears to be fine and had taken shelter to wait out poor weather conditions.

"They had a tent there and a fire going and again, nobody seemed to be overly concerned, like they weren't waving frantically," said McGregor.

"They appeared to be just casually waiting for the weather."

He said an RCMP boat will be sent out to check up on them after the winds die down.

Originally two boats were thought to be missing, however, a smaller boat carrying two people, Patty Lockhart and his wife Joyce Isadore, turned back to Yellowknife due to bad weather conditions, according to the couple's daughter, Margo Isadore.

Antoine Michel was in Yellowknife for a business meeting and according to Margo, his group planned to take their time on the way home, possibly stopping to go moose hunting.

Lawrence Catholique, Mary-Jane Michel's brother, called in the search. He became concerned when his sister failed to arrive at work Monday morning in Lutsel K'e and was unaware of any plans the group had to take time out for hunting or any other activities.

Catholique was relieved to hear the group was safe.

"That's great," said Catholique. "I'll let their kids know."

According to Environment Canada, winds around Yellowknife averaged 20km/hour Tuesday with gusts up to 28km/hour.