Search continues for 3 overdue travellers on their way to Lutselk'e

RCMP say asearch and rescue operation initiated onTuesday was unsuccessful as of late Wednesday afternoon and remains underway.

Searchers are looking for three travellers believed to be on their way from Detah, N.W.T., to Lutselk'eby snowmobile.

On Wednesday afternoon, RCMP identifiedSamuel Boucher, 65, and Cammy Boucher, 23, as two of the missing travellers, in the hopes that naming them may turn up information ontheir whereabouts. Police say they don't know the name of the male who's the third member of the missing party.

In a newsrelease earlier Wednesday,RCMPsaidthe three people left for Lutselk'efrom Detahon Monday at 10:30 p.m. on a black Bombardier Scandic two-seater snow machine towing two toboggans.

Police saidat least one person was believed to be an experienced traveller on the land, and the group had equipment appropriate for the journey.

The travellers were reported missing at about 7:20 p.m.Tuesday. An aerialsearch began that evening, and crews were in the air again Wednesday morning. Police say a portion of Great Slave Lake hadalready been searched by then.

The operation is being conducted by air as "reported ice conditions are too treacherous for ground search resources to deploy."

RCMP request the public not attempt to assist in the search because of "deteriorating ice conditions."

"At this time, RCMP have a co-ordinated search effort under way," stated Yellowknife RCMP Staff Sgt.Yannick Hamelin thenews release. "We do not want community volunteers to put themselves at risk, despite their good intentions to assist."

Lutselk'eis approximately 184 kilometreseast of Detah.