North

Search for overdue boaters underway on Frobisher Bay

Searchers with the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard are involved in a search for two missing people on Frobisher Bay near Iqaluit.

Canadian Armed Forces Hercules aircraft and Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel involved in the search

An iceberg floats along the waters of Frobisher Bay in this Aug. 2009 file photo. A search and rescue operation for two missing people is ongoing. (Adrian Wyld/TCPI/The Canadian Press)

Searchers with the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard are involved in a search for two missing people in an overdue boat on Frobisher Bay near Iqaluit.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) in Halifax received a call shortly after 4 am. Eastern Time Sunday. The boat was due back Saturday.  The JRCC dispatched an RCAF Hercules search plane, which began an air search near Iqaluit Sunday afternoon.

Lt. Matthew Howse is a spokesperson for the JRCC.   In an email Sunday evening, Howse told CBC News that the Hercules returned to CFB Greenwood Sunday evening. It is expected back in Iqaluit Monday morning, with additional crew. Howse said a Cormorant search and rescue helicopter and the CCGS Amundsen are enroute to Iqaluit to join in the search.

Temperatures overnight are forecast to be 4 C. Rain and fog are also in the forecast, with winds 20 gusting to 40 km/hr.