Patterk Netser recounts harrowing Iqaluit boat launch accident

An Iqaluit family had a harrowing experience when attempting to take their boat out of Frobisher Bay on Saturday.

Patterk Netser, a former MLA and long-time Iqaluit resident, says they had just enjoyed a day of fishing, and timed their return to high tide. He'd backed his trailer into the water, stepped out of his truck and was watching his adult son cradle the boat onto the trailer when the truck began to slide.

It waspulled into the frigid water by the weight of the boat.

"When that started happening, I jumped into the truck and put it in gear," Netser says. "I tried to drive, but it was already too late. Instantly, Iwas up to my neck in water."

Netser says he jumped out of the truck and started swimming to shore, beforerememberinghis two grandsons, ages five and seven, were in the back of the truck. He, and the children'sdad, managed to get them out safely.

"Fortunately, the boat kept the rearend of the vehicle up out of the water," Netser says."Otherwise we might have lost our two little grandchildren."

Alsofortunately, the boys had opened the rear window of the truck before it went into the water,so they were able to get out.

"They didn't get too wet," Netser says. "This little guy got more wet than his older brother. It was tense moments."

Both boys are now fine.

The truck, which remained submerged until low tide, is a "write-off," Netser says.

Bottleneck, confusion

The accident took place at Iqaluit's breakwater on Saturday evening, when multiple boaters were also trying to get boats in and out of the water during the brief timewhen the high tide makes it feasible.

"It's not very safe," Netser says. "We have just a short window of time to try and get out of that long boat ramp we have. It's always bottlenecked and there's alwayslots of confusion."

Last month, the federal government announced it would spend $64 million to built a new port and harbour in the city, though it's still not clear what that might look like or when it will happen.

"It happened so fast," Netser says. "You don't expect that thing to happen and it happened just like that."

Netser says he's thankful to everyone who helped with the rescue.