Fog, ice and a sinking sailboat involved in 16th Arctic-based emergency of the year

The dramatic rescue of two Argentine sailors in Nunavut on Aug. 29involved foggy weather, rescue flares, and a drifting piece of ice.

Pablo Saad and Dario Ramos were sailing in Nunavut's Bellot Straitwhen their vessel became trapped in ice and started to sink. They activated their emergency radio beacon, ditched their sailboat, and found themselves stranded on an ice floe with their inflatable life raft.

• Coast Guard rescues 2 passengers of sinking sailboat stranded on ice floe

The men were wearingone-piece snow suits,inflatablelife-jackets, and insulated rubber boots. Theraft "wouldhave contained survival rations," wroteCarolLaunderville, a spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard, in an email.

Laundervillewrote that another adventurer on a nearby sailing vessel detected the emergency signal and advised the coast guard communicators inIqaluit.Coast guard officers issued a mayday from Iqaluit to nearby boats and reached out to a cargo ship.

The cargo ship's crewmade a "valiant effort" to reach the sailors, but couldn't get close enough because of the ice conditions,Laundervillewrote.

A military plane was flown up from southern Canadato rescue the adventurers. A coast guard icebreaker ship also headed to the boaters and the ship's helicopter was deployed to find them.

"Both men were very cold but otherwise in good health," wrote Launderville. "The stranded men used a flare to signal the helicopter which was very helpful in the fog."

According to a press release, the coast guard has responded to 15 "Arctic-based emergencies" that required search and rescue support this year. This rescue markedthe16th.

"Weather changes can happen quickly, especially in the Arctic," the release said. It reminded mariners toweara life-jacket or immersion suit, and to carry extra fuel, food, and a signalling device.

Pablo Saaddid not respond to CBC's request for comment.