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Teens remembered

Pond Inlet buries drowning victims


Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 16/01) - Two teens who died after falling through thin ice near Pond Inlet July 7 were laid to rest last week.

Residents squeezed into St. Timothy Anglican church for an emotional service led by pastor Joshua Arreak July 10.

"This is not the first time the community has dealt with loss," Arreak said.

The two teens were heading for land near Black Point after one boy crashed through a patch of thin ice. Wet and likely frightened, the boys then fell into the icy water and drowned.

Their names were not released at the families' request. They were 16 and 17 years old.

Search volunteers sat at the front of the church, reportedly at the families' request. Several hundred family members and friends leaned on each other as Pastor Arreak played one of the boy's favourite tunes on guitar.

"I would like to think anyone in our community will use common sense and better judgment as to when and when not to be on the ice this late in the season," said RCMP Corp. Grant MacDonald.

Family members were dealing with the losses privately. "They're doing the best they can do under the circumstances. I think there's relief and a sense of closure that the bodies were recovered," MacDonald said.

Hamlet senior administrative officer and search co-ordinator Rhoda Katsak called the incident a tragedy.

The boys were buried in a cemetery overlooking the community and the bay. It's not known if memorial awards or scholarships will be set up in their names.