North

Missing boater rescued from Mackenzie River near Inuvik, N.W.T.

Searchers rescued a missing boater on the Mackenzie River near Inuvik on Tuesday — conditions on the river were described as dangerous due to debris and large ice fields.

Searchers located missing boater about 75 kilometres downstream from Inuvik

Davonna Kasook, with the search and rescue effort, marks the GPS location of missing boat. (Submitted by Cheryl Williams)

A boater who had not been heard from for three days was found uninjured on the Mackenzie River near Inuvik, N.W.T. .

Searchers who rescued the man described conditions on the river as dangerous due to debris and large ice fields.

The boater was reported missing Tuesday morning, but people hadn't heard from him since Saturday, stated the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary in a news release.

Five organizations, including Inuvik Marine Rescue (Coast Guard Auxiliary), RCMP, Civil Air Search and Rescue Association Inuvik, Iqaluit Coast Guard Radio, and Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton assisted in the search.

"CASARA launched aircraft while the Inuvik Marine Rescue unit launched their rapid response vessel," the coast guard auxiliary said in the press release.

"It took just over four hours to find and locate the missing man."

The man was found approximately 75 kilometres away from Inuvik down the Mackenzie River.

Searchers got him back to the community by boat, where an ambulance transported him to the Inuvik Regional Hospital. He was assessed and later released. He was not injured.

"Our organizations remind people to make a plan and tell someone before heading out on the land or water."

Officials did not say how the man got stranded.