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North Pole Dominick: Private effort for new search started
14:43 p.m. EST Mar 26, 2004
Dominick's friends have tried for several days to raise money and organize a private search for Dominick. Cerpolex has been unwilling to aid in their efforts, other than offering arguments pointing to Dominick's death.
However, there are no more proof of her death than there are of her survival. "As long as there is a reasonable chance of her survival, the search should continue" polar rescue experts told ExplorersWeb today.
It seems that Cerpolex has fuelled an unprecedented pessimism, spreading to officials in Finland and all the way to Dominick's homecamp. In the meantime her friends, other polar veterans and search personnel - while prepared for the worst - have not seen any reason to abort the search.
Now private forces are raising the money needed and a new search is organized. Donations towards the search are deeply appreciated. If you would like to contribute, please wire to the Finish Search and Rescue effort based in Dominick's home town:
SAMPO BANK
Routing No: 800019
Account No: 70561362
Due to practical reasons (fuel and military area restrictions over the weekend) a new search will take place March 31, in connection to the establishment of the Barneo base on April 1.
2 helicopters, fully fuelled, will search for ten hours in areas yet not researched. A team of International polar skiing veterans will work closely with the search pilots and local, Russian polar veterans to determine the search area. Cerpolex are at this point not involved.
If Dominick is alive, there is a real chance that she will survive until then, providing she has her tent and a sleeping bag for shelter. We cannot get our hopes up too much at this point, but the search will satisfy our need to know that we did our best, and that she is not left alone somewhere on the ice without us looking for her.
On October 1972, an airplane crashed high in the Andes. The 16 survivors fend for themselves amidst the cold, in spite of injuries and almost no supplies for 72 days. In February 4, 1982 Steven Callahan capsized enroute from the Canaries to Antigua on his boat "Solo". He was adrift for 1800 NM in an inflatable liferaft. He survived without food supplies and very limited fresh water for 76 days.
Five expeditions set out for a North Pole expedition this year, all from the Russian side. A big open water lead just off the starting point posed the first immediate problem for this years expeditions. Two solo skiers, French/Finnish woman Dominick and Frenchman Frederic decided to ski/paddle across the huge, 55 km semi open water area, in an attempt for a clean North Pole expedition (which must start from land). The other teams opted for an air drop onto thick ice.
Frederic Chamard-Boudet, fell in the water and was rescued. He is treated for severe frostbite. Dominick is missing since March 5th. Her tracks were found disappearing in an open water section, which she had planned to paddle over. No traces of Dominick, her kayak, sleds or other gear have been found in the area she was estimated to have gone missing.
Image of Dominick and the open water section ExplorersWeb files.
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