THUNDER BAY — A community-based group from a northern Ontario First Nation has raised thousands of dollars to aid their mission in rescuing 29-year-old Steffen Skjottelvik.
Skjottelvik, a Norwegian resident who frequented northern Ontario left Fort Severn First Nation on July 25 on foot with his two huskies, intending to trek more than 300 kilometres to York Factory, Man., by Aug. 15.
He arrived in Nanuk camp, about 40 kilometres from York Factory, on Aug. 13, and on Aug. 14, Skjottelvik touched base with a contact in York Factory saying he planned to arrive the next day.
Skjottelvik did not arrive in York Factory as planned, raising concerns about his safety, and was reported missing on Aug. 15.
“He was supposed to actually arrive in York factory on possibly the Thursday afternoon, Thursday evening, and by Friday afternoon he hadn't made it,” said Sgt. Paul Manaigre with Manitoba RCMP media relations.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) said in a news release issued Wednesday that Skjottelvik was in contact with a community member in York Factory on Aug. 13 and provided them an update prior to vanishing that one of his dogs might have been lost.
“We are not sure if it was due to a wolf attack where he visibly saw it get killed or maybe just the dog got scared off and then took off,” Manaigre said, adding that reports are that he neared York Factory and one of his dogs made it to the community but not Skjottelvik.
Community members from Fort Severn originally started the search and rescue for the Norwegian man prior to the RCMP’s involvement on Aug. 16, Manaigre said.
“A helicopter was hired by the First Nation up there in Fort Severn to fly the coastal area just to see if there was any traces of anything, I believe they did that for several days,” he said.
The First Nation community members rented a helicopter from Wisk Air Helicopters LTD, to search the rugged terrain, and at the same time started fundraising for fuel costs, to allow the group to continue search and rescue efforts, Manaigre said.
Multiple First Nations including Kasabonika First Nation, Fort Severn First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation and Shamattawa First Nation have donated to the costs of the search, said David Goose Buster Matthews, a member of the First Nation search and rescue party.
“We have to find this young man,” Matthews said.
The RCMP then started their involvement the next day with finding out what local groups were providing assistance in the search before assisting via boat and a drone, he said.
“The drone that we set up with the officer had the thermal imagery capability, so I think the idea was to get them out there Saturday night,” he said.
RCMP say that thermal imagery would show if Skjottelvik was hunkered down in the wasteland, or if a pack of animals were nearby.
“We've had no luck there yet. So, at this point like I said the search is concentrating on aerial searches with helicopter and drones, and then some people on boats there," said Manaigre.
At the same time, Manaigre said the RCMP provided some fuel for the helicopters in the aerial search.
“The tough part is you have got to coordinate everything because not everything's available up in this isolated region, so, they brought, I think three barrels of fuel, to help in the search.”
Concentrating on an aerial search, Manaigre says that RCMP is currently using Skjottelvik’s Garmin GPS watch, where they tracked his last known location and believe that he attempted to cross the Hayes River in Manitoba.
“If he did try to cross it, and speaking with the locals, there's almost no chance he made it across, the water right now is just too fast,” Manaigre said.
“It's just inconceivable that he would have made it across the river at that location the coordinates provided us, it is about two kilometres wide.”
Manaigre said that there is an island one kilometre from the Hayes River bank that Skjottelvik could have trekked to.
“It's just too strong right now and then the current… apparently fluctuates, four metres up and down, four metres per day,” he said.
With the harsh Canadian conditions coming into play, Manaigre said the search is tough.
“It is surprising that this traveller made it that far,” Manaigre said.
“Environmentally, this is a tough search… the bog muskeg region is a lot, some of the locals will say you can go up to your waist in that spongy soil, so it's just difficult.”
“He obviously has some experience in this type of environment, and for him to make it that far is impressive.”
In its news release, NAN says that Canada is failing the search and rescue mission for Skjottelvik.
“We acknowledge the support that has been provided by some agencies in Manitoba. But we are very concerned with Canada's failure to support this search,” said NAN officials.
NAN says that First Nation community members across the province have footed the bill, committing tens of thousands of dollars towards a helicopter and fuel.
“They… should not have to foot the bill for rescue work that better equipped Canadian agencies should be doing."
Kiiwetinoong NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa and Guy Bourgouin, MPP for Mushkegowuk-James Bay, have additionally called on the Canadian government for assistance in the search and rescue of Skjottelvik.
“We are calling on all pertinent Ontario, Manitoba, and federal government agencies, as well as the Canadian Ambassador to Norway, to step up and do more to find this missing young man and bring him to safety,” Mamakwa said.
“Our thoughts are with Steffen and everyone helping out with the search. Meegwetch to Fort Severn for their initiative in this search."
