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ARVIAT
Two Arviat seal hunters were returned home safe and in good health after a harrowing experience on the sea ice about 10km east of the community this past week.

Joe Karetak and his son, Joe Jr., failed to return from their hunting trip on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

The pair were spotted on a small ice floe, and a privatelyowned Bell Jet Ranger helicopter was contracted from Gillam, Man., to pick them up on Jan. 9.

Then, in a strange twist of fate, the helicopter pilot needed to be rescued by the Karetaks when the sea ice couldn't support the chopper's weight, and it went through the ice after landing.

When personnel on a Hercules aircraft observing the situation saw what happened, two searchandrescue technicians parachuted down to the ice floe and cared for the group until another helicopter could arrive to transport them to safety.

Temperatures during the day had plunged to near 60 C with the windchill. The three were suffering from hypothermia, but suffered no serious injuries in the ordeal.

Arviat Mayor Bob Leonard said it was a pretty tense day in the community.

He said thankfully, the Karetaks were well-equipped and did everything the way it's supposed to be done in a dangerous situation.

"They shot a seal, got in their little boat to get it and were caught in a very strong current that whipped them southward," said Leonard.

"They were out by Sentry Island when this started, and wound up about 13 miles south of there.

"A boat couldn't get out to them because outboards just won't work in this extreme cold, freezing up as soon as they hit the water."

Leonard said he was shocked by the resources used to make the rescue.

He said that's not normal in the North.

"Too often we hear, 'Oh, gee, you know how expensive that's going to be,' so this was a good sign to me.

"We heard a helicopter was going to land for them, and then we heard there was a crash, but nobody knew if they were on it.

"We went a long time without knowing what was happening, but when the second helicopter finally landed here, everybody walked off.

"Seeing everyone OK was a great feeling."

Leonard said Joe and his son pulled the civilian pilot from his downed chopper.

He said their quick action probably saved him from severe injuries or worse.

"From what the guys themselves said, the helicopter landed about 200 or 300 feet from them on very thin ice.

"It tipped over and the pilot ended up in the water, but they were able to reach him with their harpoon and pull him onto firmer ice.

"They stripped his clothes off and put him inside their sleeping bags, and the technicians who parachuted down took it from there."

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