Lost hunter returns home

by Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Jan 28/98) - A Rankin Inlet man who spent two days sheltered by a snowdrift on sea ice is in Winnipeg recovering from serious frostbite.

Noah Makayak, in his early fifties, left the community on Sunday afternoon to hunt for caribou at Pangnirtung Point, but was forced to begin walking back home late that evening when his snowmachine broke down 35 kilometres south of Rankin Inlet.

Makayak's wife Martha notified authorities on Monday morning and a search was quickly organized with the help of 30 volunteers from Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.

By noon on Tuesday, a bombardier and a helicopter were also involved in the search, according to Shawn Maley, one of the search co-ordinators.

"The helicopter found his snowmachine Tuesday afternoon," said Maley. Makayak had searchers confused after he abandoned first his komatik, then his snowmachine, and began walking toward Rankin Inlet. They searched more than 30 cabins in the area where his snowmachine was found continuously until early Wednesday.

Determined to make it home, Makayak kept moving for two days, finally giving in to the cold less than a kilometre outside of the community. He was found by Harry Ittinuar and Jo Scottie just after 9 a.m. Wednesday, asleep under a snowdrift he had carved out for shelter.

"They thought he was dead," said Maley. "But then he looked up and smiled, happy he was found." Maley said Makayak is lucky searchers found him when they did.

"I don't think he would have made it through Wednesday," he said. "I don't know how the hell he lived. When I was out Monday night, I couldn't see the front of the snowmachine."

Martha Makayak said she never lost hope that her husband would return. "I knew he would," she said.

A couple hours after he was found, Makayak was pulled up the ramp at the Rankin Inlet Health Centre, sitting on a stretcher, his body temperature having risen and his condition stabilized.

He was chatting to his family and the nurses, and was looking forward to retrieving the three caribou he shot Sunday night.

"If they didn't bring them in with my komatik, I'll go out and get them myself,' he said.

Now in Winnipeg, Makayak is still recovering from frostbite -- first-degree on his fingers and third-degree on his feet. He is expected to return to Rankin this week.