The Survivor

Nora T. Corley is a writer and librarian in Ottawa.

On November 8, 1972, Marten Hartwell, a pilot for Gateway Aviation and a
former Luftwaffe pilot, took off on a mercy flight that he knew would be
dangerous. His plane, a Beech 18, small and sturdy, left Yellowknife on
a routine flight and arrived in Cambridge Bay, where the weather had
closed in. A medical emergency had been reported at the Spence Bay
nursing station: an Inuit woman was suffering from premature labor pains
and her nephew had all the symptoms of acute appendicitis. They were
arriving momentarily in Cambridge Bay, accompanied by nurse Judy Hill,
and needed transport to Yellowknife. Hartwell had no desire to return
immediately, but under the circumstances agreed. Nearing Contwoyto Lake,
Hartwell could not raise its navigational beacon. It was soon dark, and
eventually he was flying blind. Overdue for arrival at Yellowknife, he
was officially reported missing, and by daybreak a search party had been
launched. For three weeks the search continued to no avail; finally, it
was called off. After some pressure the search was resumed. On December
7, a military transport heard a faint crash beacon; the
search-and-rescue teams started out again, the downed plane was spotted,
supplies were dropped by parachute, and later two rescuers jumped. The
story of Hartwell’s ordeal after the plane crashed, the death of his
passengers, his rescue, the accusations of cannibalism, and the trial
that followed his return to civilization make up the body of this book.
The tale, if gory and unpleasant, makes harrowing though fascinating
reading. The author presents all the facts as clearly as possible,
without presuming to judge Hartwell’s actions under grueling and
seemingly hopeless conditions.