A grandmother and grandfather are recovering after falling through the ice when their snowmobile and qamutiq hurtled into a river near Cambridge Bay on Saturday.

Annie Egotik is being flown to Edmonton for health tests, her husband Adam tells Nunavut News.

She was initially medevaced to Yellowknife for treatment.

The Egotiks were near the rear of a family convoy of snowmobiles and qamutiqs heading back to Cambridge Bay on Saturday. It was evening and dark. The temperature was around -14 C.

Adam and Annie veered slightly off the trail of the snowmobiles ahead of them and their machine broke through the ice.

SA国际影视传媒淭he grandmother was in the qamutiq and trying to stay out of the water,SA国际影视传媒� said Cambridge Bay fire chief Keith Morrison, who was among the responders to the subsequent call for help. SA国际影视传媒淭he grandfather was standing on the snowmobile. The water wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 that deep but because of the ice, you couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 walk through the waterSA国际影视传媒� it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 thick enough (ice) to really support weight.SA国际影视传媒�

Annie Egotik compared the ordeal to a SA国际影视传媒渂ad dreamSA国际影视传媒� in a Facebook post. She said she and Adam tried not to panic.

SA国际影视传媒淚 went under water a few timesSA国际影视传媒� we kept talking to each other but slowly started to get stiff,SA国际影视传媒� she wrote, noting that it was emotionally wrenching to hear worried family members shouting and crying nearby.

A couple of family members attempted to rescue them while others raced off to summon help.

SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know how long (we were) waiting. The water seems to be getting hot. My husband said he took his mitts off and wanted to take his parka off. I told him donSA国际影视传媒檛 take it off,SA国际影视传媒� Annie wrote. SA国际影视传媒淥ur family shouting at us, SA国际影视传媒楬elp is coming soon.SA国际影视传媒� So happy heart when you hear people are coming. They wanted us to catch the rope. I guess we couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 make it ourselves. Our son Adam Jr. jumped in, pulling me out. After that I was in shock. My husband said our grandson helped pulled him out of water.SA国际影视传媒�

Annie was still shaken up days later.

SA国际影视传媒淚 crying thinking about it like a dream, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 real. I just want it to go away. I know it will take time to heal SA国际影视传媒� just thankful we still have each other with our family,SA国际影视传媒� she wrote.

Adam remains grateful to everyone involved in the rescue.

SA国际影视传媒淲e thank all people that helped us out SA国际影视传媒� a special thank you to our son Adam Jr. He went in cold icy water to help his mom, and to our grandson Anthony to help me out,SA国际影视传媒� Adam wrote. SA国际影视传媒淭o our community that pulled together and all the people that are praying for us, thank you everyone.SA国际影视传媒�

Morrison said about a dozen people SA国际影视传媒� including members of the local search and rescue team, hamlet staff and firefighters SA国际影视传媒� rushed to the scene. Rescuers used ropes and a boat to help bring the Egotiks to shore safely, according to the fire chief.

The time from the rescue call SA国际影视传媒� around 7 p.m. SA国际影视传媒� until the grandparents were brought into the Cambridge Bay health centre was around an hour and twenty minutes, Morrison said.

Thin ice remains a concern in the Kitikmeot.

SA国际影视传媒淭his year actually itSA国际影视传媒檚 been warmer than usual so the ice is a bit thinner,SA国际影视传媒� said Morrison. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 still open water in the straitSA国际影视传媒� at the mouth of the bay.SA国际影视传媒�