Enoki Kunuk

Enoki Kunuk (born 1926) is an 81 year old Inuit hunter who survived for 27 days in the Arctic tundra, from June 1 to June 28, 2007. cite web | url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070630.miracle30/BNStory/National/home | title=Six fish, two birds and four weeks in the wild | publisher=Globe and Mail | accessdate=2007-06-30 ]

Disappearance

Kunuk left Igloolik, Nunavut on June 1 to hunt for caribou 100 kilometres north of the hamlet. cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/06/29/kunuk-found.html | title=Missing for a month, Igloolik elder found alive | publisher=CBC.ca | accessdate=2007-06-30 ] He left Igloolik with some food, gasoline, warm clothing, a gun, ammunition, tarps, a kamotiq sled, and a snowmobile; however, he had no means of communication. Kunuk's kamotiq and snowmobile was stuck in the melting ground, leading to his disappearance.

Rescue efforts

The Canadian Forces was called in for the search on June 9, after Kunuk's family became worried. A C-130 Hercules was dispatched from CFB Trenton to search for Kunuk; a CH-149 Cormorant also attempted to search, but poor weather grounded it. Melting snow prevented a ground search by snowmobile. Eventually, the search was called off, on June 18. cite web | url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2007/06/30/4302570-sun.html | title=Missing northern hunter, 81, turns up OK | publisher=Edmonton Sun | accessdate=2007-06-30 ]

Eventual rescue

On June 28, Igloolik's mayor, Paul Quassa, convinced Air Inuit to lend a Twin Otter airplane. That eventual search found Kunuk.

Personal life

Kunuk speaks no English or French, and he required a translator who spoke Inuktitut to relate to the media. He is the father of Zacharias Kunuk, a film director, whose "Atanarjuat" won the best first feature award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001.

References

External links

* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070630.miracle30/BNStory/National/home News Story from the Globe and Mail about his ordeal]