SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Volunteers from Yellowknife Search and Rescue are taking to the wilderness once again this week to search for clues in the mysterious disappearance last fall of Japanese tourist Atsumi Yoshikubo.

Despite an extensive search by RCMP, search and rescue as well as aircraft with heat-sensing infrared technology, no sign of Atsumi Yoshikubo was ever uncovered. -

The 45-year-old woman was last seen on Oct. 22 walking along the Ingraham Trail toward Jackfish Lake, RCMP reported at the time.

She flew to Yellowknife and had been staying at the Explorer Hotel since Oct. 17 but never checked out and missed her flight home on Oct. 24.

Despite an extensive search by RCMP, search and rescue as well as aircraft with heat-sensing infrared technology, no sign of her was ever uncovered. Police stated they had no indication of foul play in her disappearance.

RCMP called off the search for Yoshikubo on Nov. 4 stating that she was presumed dead. Const. Elenore Sturko, media liaison for Yellowknife RCMP, said at the time an intensive police investigation determined Yoshikubo arrived with a plan to go into the wilderness alone and took steps to avoid being found. Sturko would not say how police arrived at that conclusion but according to Japanese media reports, Yoskikubo had sent a letter to a woman in Japan before she left for Canada, indicating she planned to commit suicide.

Those reports also indicated that her brother believed she was still alive. He said he couldn't understand why she'd bought a return airline ticket and souvenirs in Yellowknife if she intended to take her own life.

John Himmelman, president of the city's search and rescue team, chose not to speculate on whether Yoshikubo is still alive. He said looking for her remains or clues to her disappearance is good training for his members. If they do find something then it may help give closure to her family and those here who were concerned about her safety and well-being, Himmelman said.

Searchers expect to go out once a week until September, weather permitting, said Tom Girrior, a search manager and past-president of the search and rescue organization.

"We'll be searching north of Yellowknife between the shores of Back Bay and the new bypass road," Girrior said. "We're looking at areas where it was generally believed she could have been. The focus of our search is to either eliminate those areas or find something that points to her exact location."

In this type of search you are looking for clothing or bones, or any object she was known to have like a purse or a camera, Girrior said. One article of clothing that would stand out if it was found on the ground is a pink parka that Yoshikubo was wearing when she was last seen.

"Typically we'll have between four and eight searchers go out at a time. This will be strictly a foot search. The rough terrain wouldn't support searching using ATVs," Girrior said.

"We typically respond at the request of the RCMP. We wouldn't go out and do this on our own. We discussed with the RCMP last fall the merits of resuming the search this spring once the snow was gone. The RCMP thought it was a good idea unless clues had arisen over the course of the winter that solved the missing person case."

Girrior added that anyone wanting to get involved in the search or who wants more information on Yellowknife Search and Rescue can turn out for an open house set for June 10 at 7 p.m. at Arctic Response on Old Airport Road.

Yellowknifer asked RCMP for an update on its investigation and to say whether its personnel would be involved in any new searches for Yoshikubo.

Const. Elenore Sturko responded in an e-mail by stating "our investigation is open, for Atsumi Yoshikubo. So we are looking for evidence."

She did not say exactly how they are looking for evidence or how many officers are active in the search.

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