Rankin Inlet man dies during storm
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Baker Lake (Dec 11/00) - One man is dead following a killer blizzard which ravaged the Kivalliq region last week.
Rankin Inlet's Joshua Kasadluak, 21, was visiting Baker Lake when the storm hit.
Director of Nunavut Emergency Services management for the Kivalliq region, Shawn Maley says Kasadluak left the house he was staying in at about 3 p.m. Dec. 3 to run an errand when tragedy struck.
"He (Kasadluak) went from the house to the Co-op on his snowmobile to get oil," says Maley. "He arrived at the Co-op, bought his oil, left there and, for whatever reason, ended up out on the lake."
Search and rescue (SAR) was called at about 5 p.m.
Although hampered by blizzard conditions, SAR members worked around the clock until they found the body at about 10:15 a.m. on Dec. 5.
Maley says speculation in the community points to Kasadluak taking a trail along the lake.
SAR members concluded he got on a trail heading in the wrong direction on the lake.
Kasadluak ended up about 12.8 kilometres away from the community and became confused.
"His body was found next to his machine, about 1,000 metres from a small cabin.
"As is common with hypothermia cases, he had removed his hat, gloves and boots.
"He wasn't dressed for the weather at all. He just had running shoes, jeans and a light parka on."
Another man, Baker resident Adam Noah, also became stranded in the blizzard on Dec. 3.
He was able to build a shelter, make brief radio contact with the community, and was rescued by SAR members the next day.
In all, about 80 people took part in the two searches.
The blizzard hit Sunday and lasted for two days.
