Poor weather hinders search efforts for missing Natuashish teen

The search for a missing teenager from Natuashish is scaling back Monday, as heavy snowfall hampers the ground search efforts.

• Air search for Natuashish teen grounded by weather
• Helicopter, snowmobiles being used in search for missing Natuashish teen

Kirby Mistenapeo, 17, was reported missing after he didn't return home Wednesday night.

Ground crews using snowmobiles are waiting to resume their search of a Y-shaped valley south of Natuashish, where it joins the Sango Bay area, as well as the resettled community of Davis Inlet — about 18 kilometres from Natuashish. 

However, searchers must wait until weather conditions improve before heading back out.

In the meantime, a helicopter left Happy Valley-Goose Bay around 1:45 p.m. Monday to ​restart an aerial search of the Labrador coastal community.

No leads

Police and the local fire department received an unconfirmed report on Thursday that the young man was spotted in the community, but no one seems to know where he went since then. 

Earlier Monday, RCMP Cpl. Rick Mills told CBC's Labrador Morning that the search has been especially difficult given there are virtually no leads as to where Mistenapeo may be located.

"One of the challenges we are faced with is that we don't really have a starting point for the search," Mills said.

"So really, we don't know where he went or where he could have gone." 

Mills said searchers have been systematically going door-to-door, making sure to check every house in the community.

Snowmobiles and aircraft have also been searching trails and wooded areas that spread out from the town.

The police are asking anyone with details on the whereabouts of the teen to call Natuashish RCMP at 709-478-8900.