The Kivalliq region was rocked by the sudden death on the land of 21-year-old Jason Panika of Rankin Inlet this past week.
Panika had been living in Baker Lake and took a snow machine to drive to Rankin Inlet. Panika was under-equipped and sorely lacking in proper clothing to make such a trip at this time of year.
Panika’s Mom, Maggie DK Jones Autut, posted memories to both Qamani’tuaq Qiniqtiit and her Facebook page.
Autut said words are not enough to express her gratitude to the community of Qamani’tuaq. She said she would like to send her family’s sincere thank you to everyone who had their boy in their prayers.
“(Thank you to) people who cooked for the search-and-rescue team (SAR), as well as their families for allowing their loved ones to be able to go out on the land and search,” said Jones Autut. “Also, to all the SAR teams from Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet, as well as the helicopter and Calm Air crew for their assistance and effort during this difficult time of need.
“Also (thanks for) all the donations that were given. If it wasn’t for each and every one of you, this would not have been possible.
“My Jason’s mind will now be at ease and not struggle any more.”
“Theo (Panika), myself, Silu (Autut), our children, Jason’s panik, Jane, family and friends are all so very grateful, from the bottom of our hearts, for all you have done. You will be greatly missed my boy, Jason Panikaladjuak.”
Richard Aksawnee of Qamani’tuaq Qiniqtiit Search and Rescue, had the task of informing loved ones that Jason’s body had been found earlier in the day on Monday, April 22, about 140 km outside of Baker Lake. Panika was found by ground volunteers from Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.
Aksawnee later posted on Facebook at about 5 p.m. to inform the public about Panik’s tragic demise. He wrote that volunteers would like to extend their sincere condolences to family and friends. Searchers would also like to thank anyone who assisted in any way possible, he added.
“Thank you to everyone who prepared food for the volunteers,” posted Aksawnee.
“Also, thank you to the Hamlet of Baker Lake, Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM), Buffalo Airways, Calm Air International, Custom Heli, Amaruaq Consulting, Forum Energy, the Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Employees Union.
“Thanks to Northern Territories Federation of Labour, JRCC and community members who made their snowmobiles and personal-communication devices available. Also, to the local Canadian Rangers, Baker Lake Prenatal and Nutrition Project, Abluqta Society, Glorious Grads and the Baker Lake Fishing Derby Committee.
“And, last but not least, (thanks to) volunteers from our neighbouring communities for being ready to respond to assist with our search efforts. Again, we send our sincere condolences.”
Search notes:
-An AEM helicopter flew two different grids on Monday, April 22, while Qamani’tuaq Qiniqtiit responders were supported by an AEM chopper on Sunday, April 21.
-On Saturday, April 20, Buffalo Airways provided air support before continuing on to Iqaluit, while a Hercules aircraft flew a grid search.
-On Friday, April 19, early search efforts resulted in a snowmobile being located, but it was not confirmed at the time to be from Panika.
-Calm Air helped numerous times throughout the search while flying back and forth between Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet. Craig Simailak reached out to Calm Air asking them to help with the search. The airline’s president and CEO, Gary Bell, called Simailik on Sunday morning, April 21, to advise him that he directed his flight crews to fly lower than normal, when it was safe to do so, and keep an eye out on the ground in hopes of finding Panika walking.
ᑭᕙᓪᓕᖅ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ 21-ᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᒃ ᔩᓴᓐ ᐸᓂᑲ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐃᓅᔪᖕᓃᕐᒪᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᑦ.
ᐸᓂᑲ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑭᑑᒥᒃ ᐱᑉᓗᓂ ᓯᑭᑑᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒧᙵᐅᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᐸᓂᑲ ᓱᓇᖄᓂᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖁᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᖅᓯᒫᓂᙱᖦᖢᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᒃᑯᑦ ᓯᑮᑦᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ.
ᐸᓂᑲᐅᑉ ᐊᓈᓇᖓ, ᒫᒋ DK ᔫᓐᔅ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ, ᓴᖅᕿᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᖅᖃᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᕿᓂᖅᑎᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ Facebook-ᑯᑦ ᐱᒋᔭᖓᒍᑦ.
ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᑑᔭᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᖁᔭᓕᓂᕆᔭᖓᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᒃ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒧᑦ. ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᙶᖅᖢᓂ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᑭᑐᓗᒃᑖᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᖁᔨᔪᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᒥᒃ ᖁᔭᓕᖕᒪᑕ ᑐᒃᓯᐅᔾᔨᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᑦ ᐃᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ.
“(ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ) ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᒐᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓂᕆᔭᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᕿᓂᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖏᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᔭᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᕿᓂᕆᐊᖃᑕᐅᔪᖕᓇᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᔫᓐᔅ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᕿᓂᖅᑎᓗᒃᑖᓄᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ, ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒥᑦ, ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑳᒥᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑑᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
“ᐊᒻᒪᓗ (ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃᑕᐅᖅ) ᐃᑲᔫᑎᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᓄᑦ. ᐃᓕᑉᓯᖕᓅᓚᐅᖏᑉᐸᑦ ᑕᒪᓗᒃᑖᑉᓯᖕᓄᑦ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇᐃᑦᑐᖕᓇᕋᔭᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ.
“ᐃᕐᓂᕐᒪ ᔩᓴᓐ ᐃᓱᒪᖓ ᑕᖃᐃᖅᓯᕐᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕈᖕᓃᕐᓗᓂ.”
“ᑎᐅ (ᐸᓂᑲ), ᐅᕙᖓ, ᓯᓗ (ᐊᐅᑐᑦ), ᓄᑕᖅᖃᕗᑦ, ᔩᓴᓐ ᐸᓂᖓ, ᔩᓐ, ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᖃᓐᓈᖏᑦ ᖁᔭᓕᑦᑎᐊᕐᒥᔪᑦ, ᐆᒻᒪᑎᓗᒃᑖᑉᑎᖕᓄᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᕐᓂᑉᓯᖕᓄᑦ. ᑕᑯᔪᒪᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑎᑦ ᐃᕐᓃᒃ, ᔮᓴᓐ ᐸᓂᑲᓪᓚᒡᔪᐊᖅ.”
ᕆᑦᓱᑦ ᐊᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᕿᓂᖅᑐᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑦᑕᔭᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᔨᒋᔭᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᔩᓴᓐ ᑎᒥᖓ ᓇᓂᔭᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᒪᓐᑎᒥᑦ, ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦ 22-ᒥᑦ, 140 ᑭᓛᒥᑕᐃᑦ ᖃᓂᑖᓂᑦ ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑎᒋᔪᒥᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ. ᐸᓂᑲ ᓇᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᑭᑑᒃᑯᑦ ᕿᓂᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ.
ᐊᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ Facebook-ᑯᑦ ᓴᖅᕿᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐅᑎ ᖃᓂᑖᓂᑦ 5-ᒧᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᓐᓄᒃᓴᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᑎᖦᖢᓂᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐸᓂᑲ ᓇᓂᔭᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᔪᖕᓃᖅᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ. ᑎᑎᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᖕᓂᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᕿᓂᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᖃᓐᓈᕆᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ. ᕿᓂᖅᑏᑦ ᒪᑦᓈᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᑭᑐᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ, ᐊᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓚᓯᑉᓗᓂ.
“ᒪᑦᓇᐅᔪᓯ ᑭᑐᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᓂᕆᔭᒃᓴᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᕿᓂᖃᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᓄᓪᓗ,” ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ.
“ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᒪᑦᓈᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᕼᐋᒻᓚᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᒡᓃᑯᒃᑯᑦ, ᐸᕙᓘ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ, ᑳᒻᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ, ᑲᔅᑕᒻ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᒪᕈᐊᖅ-ᖁᑦ, Forum Energy-ᑯᑦ, ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᓄᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᒃᑯᑦ.
“ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᓄᑦ, JRCC-ᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ ᓯᑭᑑᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᖃᑦᑕᐅᑎᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᓂᒪᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᐅᓇᑕᖅᑐᒃᓴᙳᐊᑦ, ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᓯᖓᐃᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᕿᑦᑎᐊᕙᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᑉᓗᖅᑕ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᕿᑎᒌᒃᑯᑦ, ᒍᓘᕆᐊᔅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᖃᓪᓕᐊᕐᔪᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᒃᑯᑦ.
“ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᒥᑭᓛᖑᖏᑦᑐᖅ, (ᒪᑦᓇ) ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᓂᑦᑐᒦᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᒪᓂᒪᔪᖕᓇᓚᐅᕋᑉᓯ ᕿᓂᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓯ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᖃᐅᔨᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᐸᕗᑦ ᐃᓚᒌᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᖃᑎᒋᕙᑉᑎᒋᑦ.”
ᕿᓂᖅᓴᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ:
-ᐊᒡᓃᑯᒃᑯᑦ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᖓᑦ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᓄᙵᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᓐᑎᒥᑦ, ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦ 22-ᒥᑦ, ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᕿᓂᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒡᓃᑯᒃᑯᑦ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᖓᓄᑦ ᓴᓇᑦᑕᐃᓕ, ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦ 21-ᒥᑦ.
-ᓴᓇᑦᑕᐃᓕᐊᕈᓯᕐᒥᑦ, ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦ 20-ᒥᑦ ᐸᕙᓘ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖓᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᖕᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓄᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᐊᓵᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᕼᐆᑭᓖᔅ ᑎᖕᒥᓲᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᑉᓗᓂ ᕿᓂᖅᓴᐃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.
-ᑕᓪᓕᒫᖓᓂᑦ, ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦ 19-ᒥᑦ, ᕿᓂᕆᐊᖅᖃᐅᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᓯᑭᑑᖓ ᓇᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᔪᖕᓇᙱᖦᖢᓂ ᐸᓂᑲᐅᑉ ᐊᑐᓚᐅᕐᒪᒍ.
-ᑳᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᐃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᕿᓂᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᑕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ. ᑯᕇᒡ ᓯᒪᐃᓚᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᕕᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᑳᒻᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᖕᓇᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᕿᓂᖅᑐᓂᒃ. ᑳᒻᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᖄᖓ, ᒋᐅᕆ ᐱᐅᓪ, ᐅᖃᓗᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᒪᐃᓚᒃᒧᑦ ᓴᓇᑦᑕᐃᓕᒥᑦ ᑎᕆᒡᓗᐃᑦ 21-ᒥᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᑎᖦᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᑎᓯᒪᖕᒪᒋᑦ ᑳᒥᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᐸᒃᑕᖓᓐᓂᐅᖓᓂᑦ ᐊᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ, ᐊᔪᕐᓇᙱᒃᑳᖓᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᒪᓂᕋᕐᒥᑦ ᐸᓂᑲ ᐱᓱᒃᑐᖅ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᖦᖤᑐᐊᕆᐊᒃᓴᖓᓂᑦ.