Full-scale search resumes for Natuashish teenager
Adverse weather conditions hampered ground and air search in Labrador on Monday
The RCMP says an exhaustive air and ground search has started up again for 17-year-old Kirby Mistenapeo, on the sixth day since he went missing from Natuashish.
Four aircraft are participating — the RCMP Twin Otter from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a Vale helicopter from Voisey's Bay, a Universal helicopter from Fire and Emergency Services N.L., and a Griffin helicopter from 444 Squadron in Happy Valley-Goose Bay all took off Tuesday afternoon.
The air search will focus on outlying areas of the community, the "Y" shaped valley leading to Sango Bay, the sea ice and the area surrounding the resettled community of Davis Inlet.
On the ground, search and rescue teams from Rigolet and Happy Valley-Goose Bay were flown into Natuashish Tuesday morning and were looking for the teen in the wooded area around the community.
The SAR team from Hopedale is searching in Davis Inlet while another team is checking the main trail from Nain to Natuashish.
RCMP members from Goose Bay, Makkovik, Labrador Relief Team and Hopedale are assisting with the ground search efforts, using snowshoes and snowmobiles. The police dog from Goose Bay is also involved in the search.
The Innu Nation has made arrangements to have searchers from the community of Sheshatshiu flown into Natuashish Tuesday to help as well.
Police have said it's difficult to know where to search because they have no idea where Mistenapeo may have gone.