Philippe Morin
Northern News Services
Monday, April 16, 2007

TUKTOYAKTUK - Residents of Tuktoyaktuk are mourning the death of a local hunter, who apparently froze to death near Reindeer Point on March 29.

RCMP Cst. Chris Pittman said the man was found unconscious on Friday morning, following a night of -21 C weather.

"He apparently died of exposure, of freezing to death," said Pittman, adding alcohol might have been involved.

While the case is still being investigated, Pittman said no foul play was suspected.

He said RCMP received a call March 30 around 9 a.m., after two local people found the man and carried him back to their residence.

When police arrived, Pittman said the man was unconscious and not breathing.

CPR was then performed at the scene and a local ambulance brought the man to the health centre.

Nurses there tried to revive the man for several hours, but he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead, Pittman said.

Paul Voudrach, who is chair of the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee, said the man was in his mid-thirties and had been a member of the organization.

On April 2, the man's family and friends requested News/North not publish his name.

Pittman added an autopsy has been ordered in the case, and the body would be sent to Edmonton for laboratory analysis.

"It's going to be done as soon as possible," he said.