Search for Nunavik hunter, missing from raft, halted after a week

The search for a hunter presumed to have drowned after boarding a makeshift raft near Inukjuak, Que., was halted on Saturday, a week after the search began.  

A press release from the Kativik Regional Police Force says the search and recovery efforts for Jobie Nungaq were suspended on Oct. 1, until further notice, after a team of Sûreté du Québec police divers failed to find any sign of Nungaq.

• Search continues for missing Nunavik hunter who made raft from plastic containers

"Many dives were completed, but the strong currents have complicated the work," says the press release, issued in French. 

Raft and jacket found 

Nungaq went missing on Saturday, Sept. 24. He'd been hunting with three other people on Frazier Island, about 20 kilometres away from the village, when their boat went adrift. 

Nungaq made a raft out of plastic containers, and was last seen by his hunting companions — all of whom made it home safely — on Saturday afternoon aboard the raft. 

Searchers located debris from the raft later that evening, and Nungaq's jacket was found the following morning.

Over 100 people from Inukjuak assisted with the search. The Kativik Police and the municipality of Inukjuak chartered a plane to conduct aerial searches of the area.

On Thursday, police divers were flown to the community, but had no success finding signs Nungaq. 

The Kativik Police "would like to thank all the volunteers from Inukjuak and other communities who participated or contributed to the many operations," the press release says.