Hunters find body of missing Inukjuak man

ODILE NELSON

Two young Inukjuak hunters found by chance what the combined efforts of more than 200 local volunteers, a handful of police officers and aerial searches could not this past Sunday – they discovered the body of a missing Inukjuak man less than a kilometer from his home.

Joeadamie Inukpuk was last seen by his brother Eliyassie the afternoon of Sept. 23.

The pair had spent the day hunting caribou about 15 kilometers outside of Inukjuak when Eliyassie decided to return home.

Joeadamie chose to continue hunting but promised his brother he would return that evening.

When he had not appeared nearly two days later, Kativik Regional Police and the community of Inukjuak began a massive foot search for the missing man.

The hunt was to last two weeks and by its end it had grown to involve the Surêté de Quebec and several full-scale aerial searches covering more than 75 square kilometers of terrain.

Yet, until Daniel Kokiapik and Samwille Amidilak stumbled across Inukpuk’s body last Sunday, all the searchers had recovered was Inukpuk’s abandoned ATV, trapped in thick mud nearly 15 kilometers outside of town.

On Monday, Réjean Hardy, an officer with the Kativik Regional Police, confirmed the hunters’ chance discovery.

“They found him just outside the airport. He was lying on his back and he still had his rifle with him. His clothes were wet and he had no gloves with him,” Hardy said.

Hardy said police had investigated rumours of foul play early into Inukpuk’s disappearance, but when they examined his body they concluded Inukpuk had died from exposure.

“The body was checked by medical staff and the policemen on site and there was nothing at all suspicious,” Hardy said.

“Because of the weather, which has snowed on and off, and because of the body being tired, it was likely hypothermia. That is the conclusion that seems the most probable.”

The distance between where volunteers found Inukpuk’s abandoned ATV and where the two hunters found his body was only 14 kilometres, he explained. However, because of a river that separates the town from the surrounding area, it was likely Inukpuk walked several extra miles to reach the town.

“You cannot go across the river unless you swim across. So from where the four-wheeler was found it’s a good distance to cover and with the weather being bad he must have been walking for a lot of time,” Hardy said.

Police released Inukpuk’s body to his parents, Charlie and Elisipee Inukpuk, shortly after he was identified Sunday evening.

Sandra Inukpuk, the man’s sister-in-law, said his family and siblings are doing surprisingly well.

“His mother’s fine. She’s relieved. They are all relieved. We are just happy he was found,” Inukpuk said.

A funeral service for Inukpuk was held at Inukjuak’s Anglican church late Monday afternoon.

More than 100 residents attended the standing-room-only service.

Inukjuak is survived by his parents, his sister Alicie, his three brothers, Eliyassie, Jamisie and Josie, and his young son, Sean.