No sign of Marc Cornelissen and Philip de Roo

News - Friday 01/05 - Cold Facts team

The site were the equipment is found is unchanged. The open-ice conditions make it not possible to land with an aircraft or helicopter. RCMP, Canadian and Dutch authorities are in close communication and cooperation. Early this morning, the RCMP confirmed that Marc and Philip are presumed drowned. 

We thank you all for your warm messages of sympathy and support. A special thank you goes out to all the scientific friends who are helping us and the authorities by sharing their knowledge and information on the location where the expedition’s equipment is found.

With best regards,

The Coldfacts team

Press release of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police: 

On Wednesday April 29, 2015, Resolute Bay RCMP were advised that a distress call had been sent out by two expedition members from the Netherlands traveling on sea ice near Bathurst Island, approximately 200 kilometers north of Resolute Bay.  

 In the early morning hours of April 29, 2015, a local aircraft had flown over the area and observed equipment belonging to the expedition members directly adjacent to an area of open water and very poor ice conditions.  A Search and Rescue (SAR) operation was activated by Nunavut Emergency Measures Organization (EMO).  A second aircraft with local Search and Rescue personnel on board flew over the area later that day, failing to locate the two expedition members.  They were able to confirm that there was expedition equipment including personal items floating in the water at the location of the distress signal.  Further efforts to locate the individuals, or evidence of them departing the area has proven negative.  Based on the findings of the search teams, it is presumed that both subjects have drowned and the search has been discontinued.