Search underway for missing Pond Inlet snowmobiler

An air and ground search is underway for a Pond Inletman who left Hall Beach on May 13 and is believed to have been heading to Repulse Bay.

The man, a 36-year-old Parks Canada employee, had originally set out on snowmobile from Pond Inlet on May 10. He arrived in Igloolik May 12 and spent the night before heading on to Hall Beach the next day, according to Yvonne Niego of community policing for Nunavut's RCMP.

"From what we know, he was asking about the direction of Repulse Bay and advise that he might be going to Repulse," Niego said. "He was also in contact with persons from Repulse Bay as well as commenting online that he may be headed that way."

The man is an experienced hunter. He's travelling with a five-metre long sled full of supplies, including GPS and a UHF radio.

Below 0 temperatures and blowing snow are expected to hamper the search in the coming days, as will the change in season.

"It is a season where ice is getting less and less easy to predict and therefore anyone should be very cautious," Niego said.

RCMP was first advised he might be missing at around 11 a.m. on Friday.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., received a call for help Saturday night, said Capt. Guy Potvin on Monday.

A Twin Otter from the 440 Transport Squadron and C-130 Hercules from CFB Winnipeg were dispatched to assist with the search over the weekend.

The Hercules was on its way back to Winnipeg Tuesday morning, said Potvin, but the Twin Otter will stay on site.

Ground searches are also underway from Hall Beach and Repulse.

Nunavut Emergency Services will hold a meeting Tuesday morning to decide how to proceed with the search. An official with Nunavut Emergency Services declined to comment.