Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Mar 27/00) - A man is safely back in Rankin Inlet after being stranded on the sea ice when a freak blizzard hit parts of the Kivalliq this past Monday.

Newly Utman, 22, left Rankin by snowmachine for Whale Cove shortly after noon on March 20.

He and another man, Theophile Panika of Rankin Inlet, were each pulling komatiks loaded with gear for work in Whale Cove.

Local search and rescue (SAR) co-ordinator David Ningeongan said the blizzard struck shortly after the two men left Rankin.

He says they lost the Whale Cove trail in blowing snow.

"They were both zigzagging looking for the trail and, while they were doing that, Panika realized that Utman wasn't with him any more," says Ningeongan.

"Once he realized that, he marked where the GPS (global positioning system) location was.

"When he couldn't find Utman, he headed back to Rankin."

Utman had left the hamlet well prepared, carrying a sleeping bag, food, caribou skins, tarp and a box on his sled.

He also had oxygen and welding equipment with him.

Ningeongan says the first SAR group of five volunteers headed out on the land at 12:50 a.m. on Tuesday.

A bombardier was dispatched about 2 a.m. and two more searchers left on machines shortly after that.

The last two to leave, Harry Ittinuar and Mathew Noah, found Utman about 6:30 a.m.

"He was covered up in the back of his komatik on the sea ice south of Barrier Island.

"When he heard the Ski-Doos approaching he got out and waved them in and let them know he was OK.

"He had the gear to provide adequate shelter and was found in totally healthy condition."