Search underway for missing hunter in northern Labrador

A large search effort is underway after a 41-year-old man didn't return home from a hunting trip in northern Labrador.

In a press release on Wednesday, the RCMP said the man left a cabin on a snowmobile near Mistastin Lake around 6 a.m. AT on Monday. Police were called Monday night with a report that he did not return to the cabin.

The RCMP saidice and weather conditions were poor in the area at the time. Mistastin Lake is about 340 kilometres north of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, along the border with Quebec.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center(JRCC) was called at approximately 9:15 p.m. ATand immediately mobilized a search crew, said JRCC senior public affairs officer Len Hickeyin an interview with CBCNews.

A cormorant helicopter was dispatched from Gander, a Hercules aircraft from Greenwood, N.S.and a Hercules aircraft from Trenton, N.B.were also dispatched, Hickey said. The helicopter based in 5 Wing Goose Bay was unavailable due to maintenance on Tuesday night, Hickey said.

A local twin otter, an aircraft from PAL Airlines and a locally owned helicopter were also tasked to help with the search, he said.

"The cormorant and the Hercules, they all completed shore searches and searches of the vicinity," Hickey said.

Ground search and rescue teams from Natuashish and Sheshatshiu are also searching the island in the lakeand surrounding areas, Hickey said.

The search is continuing.

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