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Missing man located

Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Pangnirtung (Apr 23/01) - A search and rescue mission came to a successful end Saturday afternoon, April 21, when teams located Mosesie Nuvaqiq.

Const. Eric Ootoovak of the Iqaluit RCMP said Sunday afternoon that the 55-year-old Pangnirtung resident was located at 12:54 p.m.

"He was found waving gas tanks in the air," said Ootoovak. "He was alive and well."

Teams then transported Nuvaqiq back to Iqaluit.

Search and rescuers began searching for Nuvaqiq Wednesday evening, April 18, after he was reported overdue. He had left Iqaluit on Tuesday and was travelling home to Pangnirtung by snowmobile. While he was travelling with a group of other Pangnirtung residents, Director of Emergency and Protective Services Neville Wheaton said Nuvaqiq set out on the trip before the rest of the party.

Emergency services was notified after the rest of the group returned home to Pangnirtung and realized Nuvaqiq hadn't arrived. Wheaton said they mobilized searchers immediately and set up a base camp approximately 80 kilometres north of Iqaluit on the Pangnirtung trail.

Wheaton said the man was prepared for the 12-hour, 500-kilometre trip.

"He has a qamutiq, he is experienced and he's reported to have camping equipment," said Wheaton.

Wheaton said the ground search began Wednesday and was joined by aircraft Thursday, Friday and Saturday.