Search continues for missing Kimmirut mayor

Aerial spotters have joined the search for the missing mayor of Kimmirut, Nunavut, who has not been seen or heard from since a weekend hunting expedition.

Jamesie Kootoo left for a caribou hunt on Saturday and was due to return the same day.

While a blizzard temporarily halted the search on Tuesday, volunteers were met with better conditions on Wednesday and continued with search and rescue efforts.

The 67-year-old mayor is an experienced outdoorsman, but it is believed he had very little survival equipment with him when he left five days ago.

Trained aerial spotters arrived Wednesday afternoon, bringing the number of search teams to four. 

Residents of other communities flew in to Kimmirut to lend a hand and set up a base camp near Qurvik Lake, where RCMP Cpl. Dennis Lamb said the mayor was last seen. 

"They wanted to set up there just because the travel to and from the area, with there just not being very much snow and things like that, and hills being pretty icy trying to get out on the search, it just takes more time getting there, and less time searching," said Lamb.

On Sunday, searchers were able to follow snowmobile tracks that they believe were left by Kootoo, but fresh snow later covered the rest of the trail.

Donations will be accepted from anyone who wishes to support the Kootoo rescue effort, said Maliktoo Lyta, a search and rescue committee member.