Search for human bones in YK woods

Norm Dei, president of Yellowknife Search and Rescue, is leading the search of a Yellowknife area for human remains. A bone discovered in the area last fall was determined to be human. The search for more remains was postponed until the snow melted. - Daniel T'seleie/NNSL photo

Search for human bones in YK woods

Daniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 31/04) - RCMP and Yellowknife Search and Rescue (YKSAR) volunteers began searching for human remains in the wooded area between Ptarmigan Road and Taylor Road on Sunday.

A bone found in the area last November by a private citizen was turned over to the coroner, who forwarded it to the RCMP in December.

"Once it was determined (the bone) was human, it was turned over to us," said RCMP Sgt. Daryl Key.

A search at the time was not possible due to snow cover and was postponed until the melt.

"We'll comb this whole area on a two-metre grid," said YKSAR president Norm Dei. Eight YKSAR volunteers are working on the search, expected to take two days.

Police are unsure if more remains will be found or if the bone was brought to the area by an animal.

The RCMP will compare the evidence from this case to three open missing persons files. DNA analysis may be used to help determine the identity of the remains.