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Body of Behchoko man recovered Frank Black went missing on Russell Lake Aug. 29
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 16, 2013
BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
Almost two weeks after being reported missing, the body of Frank Black, a 57-year-old man from Behchoko, was recovered from Russell Lake last week, his brother has confirmed.
Alex Black said Frank was retrieved from the lake on Sept. 10.
Black had been missing since leaving a cabin on Russell Lake on Aug. 29, according to an RCMP news release.
Behchoko residents began an initial search and reported him missing to RCMP on Aug. 31.
Another search took place using a police jet boat that day, but found no trace of Frank, the release stated. The RCMP and volunteers with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association conducted aerial searches over the next two days and found Frank's boat with his equipment still inside. Footprints led from the boat into the nearby bush. Searchers looked in the area, but were unable to find Frank.
His boat was left behind in case he came back to the spot, the release also stated.
Searches continued until his body was pulled from Russell Lake.
Alex said his brother grew up on the land and was an experienced hunter.
"He knows how to take care of himself on the land," he said.
Alex said when the brothers were growing up, their family lived on the land permanently. Their parents taught them the skills they needed to survive.
"My dad taught us all things on the land, how to survive, how to be safe," he said. "They taught a lot of good things like that on the land, to be on the safe side. All these things, my brother knew about that stuff."
Alex said he and the rest of his family want to know why Frank decided to travel alone and the circumstances surrounding his death.
"We would like to find out exactly what happened to my brother, out there by himself," he said. "Why he was out there by himself."
Alex said Frank's body had been sent to the chief medical examiner's office in Edmonton for a post mortem examination.
He said his family will make funeral arrangements after his body is returned to the community.
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