Swedes rescued from Arctic ice floe

IQALUIT — Two men from Sweden who managed to land their small plane on ice and leapt free of the aircraft before it sank in frigid waters south of Baffin Island were rescued Monday by a fishing vessel.

The captain of the vessel that picked them up says both men were grateful to see the fishing ship approach them after spending 18 hours stranded on the ice in temperatures that dipped to -20 C overnight.

“They were crying and all that. They were happy to see the boat,” said Bo Mortensen, adding that both men appeared to be in good condition other than some minor frostbite on their feet.

A Cormorant helicopter airlifted the men to Iqaluit several hours after they were brought on board the vessel. An official with the airport in Iqaluit said they landed safely and were taken to the local hospital for medical assessments.