A rescue operation is underway to retrieve a hunter who has been trapped on an Arctic ice floe for two days near one of Canada's northernmost communities, as his worried family waits and hopes for the best.
A military helicopter took off from Iqaluit on Sunday morning, headed for David Idlout, who has been stranded since Friday, but the aircraft wasn't expected to reach his location in northern Nunavut until late in the evening or early Monday morning.
Mr. Idlout, 39, had been seal hunting Friday, and was on his way back home, retracing his tracks, when he saw a gap in the ice ahead of him.
He quickly realized its significance.
He called his common-law wife, Tracy Kalluk, at their home in the small community of Resolute, Nunavut, and told her he had become stranded on a large piece of ice that had broken apart from the mainland and was now floating away.
The community, which has a population of about 230 people, alerted rescue officials.
Despite spending two days on an ice floe in the extreme cold -- due to the wind chill, the temperature in Resolute felt like -51 on Sunday -- it's believed the man is in good condition.
A Hercules aircraft dropped off supplies for him Saturday, including a battery for his satellite phone, food and a small tent.
"He's doing good," his wife said from their home Sunday. "He has all the things that he needs."
She said Mr. Idlout had been calling every few hours to update her and their two children, eight-year-old Natasha and 11-year-old Joshua, on how he was doing.
"I'm only asking if he's still OK or if he's cold," Ms. Kalluk said.
"A lot of my friends are coming over to give me moral support, and to keep my mind off things," she said.
"They're helping a lot."
The man is stranded in an extremely remote part of the North. The Cormorant helicopter that left Iqaluit Sunday morning had a journey of more than 1,400 kilometres to make, which was expected to take them nearly 14 hours, including extra stops for fuel.
Capt. Paul Spaleta, a search-and-rescue mission co-ordinator based out of Trenton, Ont., said the distance -- and winds in the area -- were adding to the challenge of the rescue.
"There's winds that are making visibility in certain places lower," he said. "That could certainly play a factor with the great distances between airports.
"For right now, he's safe, fine, warm," said Capt. Spaleta. "He's in contact with the RCMP and family."
Once the helicopter arrives, search-and-rescue workers are expected to go down to the ice floe themselves with a hoist and assess the situation.
"They'll put a harness on him, then hook him up," said Capt. Spaleta.
David's older brother, Simon, said the waiting was hard for the family.
"I'm worried. The whole family's worried, but we can't do nothing," he said Sunday.
The hunter's family said that on the first day, the large ice floe moved nine and a half kilometres, but Saturday, it moved only about five, easing their fears somewhat.
She said she'd been told the rescue helicopter had mechanical problems when it reached Iqaluit, forcing a delay while it was repaired.
The Cormorant was in the air and headed toward Idlout's location Sunday.
"He should be home by midnight, if everything goes OK," she said.
