Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Tuktoyaktuk (Oct 04/04) - The search continued over the weekend for four men who failed to return to Tuktoyaktuk after what was supposed to be a one-day caribou hunting trip, Sept. 22.

Missing are Frankie Steen, his son Paul Steen, Ronald Rufus and his son Kyle Felix, well-known members of the community and experienced hunters.

The men left Tuk in an uncovered 20-ft aluminum boat Sept.22, said Paul Voudrach, chair of the Hunters and Trappers Committee in Tuk.

"They have experience travelling on the water and the land," Voudrach said.

A massive search was organized by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., involving the Coast Guard, the Air Force and many individuals from the hamlet and the Tuk Community Corp.

It began Sept. 25 when the men did not arrive home as expected.

Their travel route included the region from the west side of the Tuk peninsula to the Dalhousie area, Voudrach said.

A searcher from the community told Voudrach a kill site was found in that vicinity.

"The searcher indicated to me that (the missing men) harvested that caribou and it looked like they were on their way back to the community from the area everybody knows as Bumbles, north of Tuk."

The area is comprised of sandy flats with grassy terrain, not visible by boat for more than five miles out, he said.

Voudrach said the community is at a loss as to what could have happened to the four men.

On Oct.2, Voudrach told News/North the event had cast a gloom over the entire hamlet.

"It's really sad. The families involved are strong and they are still hoping.

"The tough part is waiting and wondering. It doesn't put a closure on anything. That's what really makes it tough on the whole community."

Frankie Steen is employed by the hamlet as a heavy equipment operator. Ronald Rufus works for M & J Water Services.

Paul Steen is believed to be about 16; Kyle Felix is between 18 and 20-years-old.

Voudrach said it is a popular time of the year for residents to go out in their boats for day-trips or camping.

The U.S. Coast Guard arrived Sept. 28 by Hercules aircraft to aid in the rescue efforts.

Also assisting are the Tuk Search and Rescue Organization and the Tuk RCMP.

Pierre Bolduc, air coordinator for the centre, said poor weather hampered the search for several days during the first week.

The search is being conducted between Herschel Island and Baillie Island, covering an area about 120 nautical miles wide and 120 nautical miles long.

Two other Hercules aircraft from Winnipeg were in use, along with one ice patrol Dash 7, a coast guard helicopter, one Twin Otter from Yellowknife, a Cessna aircraft and several RCMP and coast guard vessels.

The American Hercules has since returned to Juno.

On Oct.2, Sgt. Glen Gray at the rescue centre said the search will continue until all leads are exhausted.

"There are still a few areas that remain to be searched yet," Gray said.

"We're still covering areas of high probability."

Gray said the searchers have also gone up past the ice pack on the Beaufort Sea.

Temperatures were averaging around minus six degrees celsius and the ceiling was about 5,000ft.

Gray said the sheer size of the area, the shifting of the ice and unrelated debris and clutter along the shore makes the search challenging.

"We've also had aircraft flying at 500ft, which was much more effective than ground searches," he added.

Tuk RCMP would not comment, other than to say they were assisting in the matter.

Voudrach said the hamlet is coping as well as can be expected with the void left by the four men.

"Everyone is hoping -- that's all we can do here is hope."