Missing Whale Cove hunter found safe

A hunter from Whale Cove who had been missing since Nov. 15 has been found safe and sound in a cabin northwest of the Nunavut hamlet.

Ryan Kolit with Whale Cove search and rescue said he is not surprised that George Ulurksit is safe.

"He knows the land well — he grew up on the land," he said.

Ulurksit, 47, went out on the land on Nov. 15 with a hunting partner.

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RCMP were advised Tuesday evening that Ulurksit was overdue and had been separated from his hunting partner in poor weather. Local search and rescue teams were searching the area, but did not find his trail until Friday.

Ulurksit did not have a SPOT device or any communication equipment with him, according to police.

"For the past three days the visibility was almost zero," said Kolit.

"At times you could only see 20 feet."

Blowing snow and freezing rain hindered the search for Ulurksit until the weather started to clear up Friday.

This morning 15 searchers headed out northwest of the hamlet and were able to spot Ulurksit's snowmobile tracks. After hours of following the tracks, which would appear and disappear, rescuers finally located Ulurksit in a cabin on the land.

​The searchers are now on their way back to the hamlet with Ulurksit and are expected to arrive by this evening.