Enoki Kunuk

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Enoki Kunuk (born 1926) is an 81 year old Inuit hunter who survived for 27 days in the Arctic tundra, from June 1 to June 28, 2007. [1]

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[edit] Disappearance

Kunuk left Igloolik, Nunavut on June 1 to hunt for caribou 100 kilometres north of the hamlet. [2] He left Igloolik with some food, gasoline, warm clothing, a gun, ammunition, tarps, a kamotiq (a type of Inuit sled), and a snowmobile; however, he had no means of communication. [1] Kunuk's kamotiq and snowmobile was stuck in the melting ground, leading to his disappearance. [1]

[edit] Rescue efforts

The Canadian Forces was called in for the search on June 9, after Kunuk's family became worried. A C-130 Hercules was dispatched from CFB Trenton to search for Kunuk; a CH-149 Cormorant also attempted to search, but poor weather grounded it.[1] Melting snow prevented a ground search by snowmobile.[3] Eventually, the search was called off, on June 18. [1][3]

[edit] Eventual rescue

On June 28, Igloolik's mayor, Paul Quassa, convinced Air Inuit to lend a Twin Otter airplane. [1] That eventual search found Kunuk.

[edit] Personal life

Kunuk speaks no English or French, and he required a translator who spoke Inuktitut to relate to the media. [1] He is the father of Zacharias Kunuk, a film director, whose Atanarjuat won the best first feature award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Six fish, two birds and four weeks in the wild. Globe and Mail. Retrieved on 2007-06-30.
  2. ^ Missing for a month, Igloolik elder found alive. CBC.ca. Retrieved on 2007-06-30.
  3. ^ a b Missing northern hunter, 81, turns up OK. Edmonton Sun. Retrieved on 2007-06-30.

[edit] External links