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Marten Hartwell[1] (1925 – April 2, 2013)[2]: 18 [3][4] was a German-Canadian bush pilot in the Canadian Arctic.[3] On November 8, 1972, the plane that Hartwell was flying on a medical evacuation with 3 other passengers crashed.[3] One passenger, a nurse named Judy Hill, was killed on impact. A pregnant Inuk woman who was being evacuated also died shortly after the crash. Hartwell himself was left with two broken ankles and could not walk.[3] One passenger, a boy, David Pisurayak Kootook, survived the initial crash along with Hartwell but died after 23 days. Kootook spent his last few weeks gathering food and keeping a fire for himself and the injured pilot and is credited with saving Hartwell's life.[5] The pilot was rescued after 31 days. Since the pilot was injured and unable to obtain local food, and emergency rations had run out, the pilot was forced to consume flesh from one of the dead passengers.[3][6] At the time of his death he lived at Black River, Kings, Nova Scotia.[7]

A Beech 18, similar to the incident aircraft C-FRLD.

Biography

[edit]

Leopold Herrmann, born in 1925 in Germany, was given military flight training in 1944, In 1958 he obtained a West German pilot's licence and emigrated to Canada in 1967. He was in the process of legally changing his name to Marten Hartwell at the time of the accident.[2]: 122 & 57  He died on April 2, 2013, at the age of 88.[6]

Crash

[edit]
Marten Hartwell is located in Northwest Territories
Cambridge Bay
Cambridge Bay
Hottah Lake
Hottah Lake
Yellowknife
Yellowknife
class=notpageimage|
Departure (Cambridge Bay), crash site (Hottah Lake) and destination (Yellowknife)

On November 8, 1972, Hartwell was given a charter to fly from Cambridge Bay, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut) with three passengers who had just arrived from Spence Bay; a pregnant Inuk woman named Neemee Nulliayok, a 14-year-old Inuk boy named David Pisurayak Kootook (who was suffering from appendicitis), and an attending government nurse named Judy Hill.[3] Hartwell was not flying a normal scheduled route, but happened to be in Cambridge Bay after dropping off prospectors on the Barrens. His aircraft, a Gateway Aviation Beechcraft 18,[3] was chartered by the nurse in Cambridge Bay to fly on to Yellowknife where his passengers could receive medical care at the local hospital.[4]

After leaving Cambridge Bay Airport during very bad weather conditions, Hartwell's plane traveled about 700 km (430 mi) before crashing into a hillside near Hottah Lake, southeast of Great Bear Lake. The nurse, Judy Hill was killed on impact. The Inuk woman died several hours later.[3] Hartwell and the young boy survived the crash, although both of Hartwell's ankles, his left knee and his nose were fractured.[3][8] For weeks the two survived the brutally harsh weather where the average temperature was −37 °C (−35 °F). Kootook was instrumental in the pair's survival by erecting a tent and making fires. He died after the 20th day whereupon the pilot survived by eating part of the leg of the nurse.[9]

[edit]

The initial search, which lasted three weeks, failed to find any trace of the Hartwell plane and was called off. After a three day pause the search was reopened by the Minister of Defence, James Richardson, and Hartwell was found alive 31 days after the crash. The search cost about one million Canadian dollars, the most costly search and rescue operation in Canadian aviation history to that date.[2]: 25 

Pressure to resume the search came from Susan Haley of the University of Alberta, Edmonton and her father, Dr Haley of Acadia University, Nova Scotia. The search resumed in difficult conditions. There were less than six hours of daylight and temperatures were 10 to 20 below zero out on the barrenlands. The resumed search did not find the lost plane. The plane was found after a Hercules aircraft of the Canadian Armed Forces on a return trip from the Inuvik Supplementary Radio Station (CFS Inuvik) picked up an emergency signal from the aircraft's emergency radio beacon on December 7, 1972.[2]: 26  According to a speech given in 2011 by General Ramsey Muir Withers, the beacon had not been turned on until 30 days after the crash. Three aircraft were dispatched to the area and on December 8 the crash site was located. Paratroopers were dropped and a helicopter was sent to pick up Hartwell.[10][11]

Inquiry

[edit]

The international interest in the loss of the plane was demonstrated by the sudden arrival in Yellowknife of the international press corps. Hartwell gave a lengthy interview to the Observer after his rescue, but did not cooperate in any attempt to portray the story in film or on television.

Although Hartwell refused to attend the Yellowknife inquest into the loss of the plane and its passengers a lot of evidence about Hartwell was presented to the Yellowknife inquest. The inquest was told that members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who inspected Hartwell's camp had found small plastic bags containing human remains. Hartwell greeted his rescuers by saying: "Welcome to the camp of a cannibal."[4] At the crash scene he left a note for his son Peer. The note was translated by Gerry Reimann of Yellowknife and was read into the inquest record. The note said:

When you receive this letter, I will be dead. I have had an accident on Nov. 8/72 and I am still laying in the bush with broken legs. Have no more food. Please forgive me for sins. I love you, my only son. Please contact Miss Susan Haley c/o Department of Philosophy, U of A, Edmonton, Alberta. She was, for the past year and a half, a close companion. An even better address may be: Miss Susan Haley c/o Dr Haley, University of Wolfville, N.S., Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. There are savings in the Imperial Bank of Commerce here in Yellowknife and Edmonton. You should have $3,000 and Susan the rest that she may pay my debts and the unpaid ones with court. I am wishing you all the best and remember me. In my heart I was not all that bad.[2]: 100–101 

A warned statement, obtained by an RCMP officer from Hartwell, was read into the inquest record.[2]: 92  David Kootook survived living off tree bark. He refused to eat any of Judy Hill's flesh. He died about a week before Hartwell was rescued. Two paramedics were parachuted into the crash scene. Hartwell was first taken to Stanton Yellowknife Hospital where he was said to be relatively good condition after his ordeal.[2]: 45 

An accident investigation report was released by the Air Accident Investigation Branch of the Ministry of Transport on July 3, 1973. Among its findings were that the pilot had not been qualified for night instrument flight, and that Gateway Aviation (his employer) did not have adequate supervision or policies for its visual flight rules pilots.[2]: 122–123 

Hartwell's pilot's licence was suspended for a time after the incident. He returned to northern flying and settled at Fort Norman and started his own aviation company. He was involved in a second crash in October 1987 but walked out after two days; there were no fatalities.[2]: 167  Hartwell retired from flying after selling his company in 1991.

Legacy

[edit]

The story of Hartwell's survival, with emphasis on the role played by Kootook, are related in "The Marten Hartwell Story" by Canadian balladeer Stompin' Tom Connors. Connors' song does not contain any reference to the cannibalism aspects of the incident.

In 1998 David Pisuriak Kootook, the Inuk boy from Taloyoak who saved the downed pilot, was honoured by the Northern Transportation Company by having a ship named after him.[12] He was also awarded, posthumously in 1994, the Meritorious Service Cross, which is awarded for "a deed or an activity that has been performed in an outstandingly professional manner, or with uncommonly high standards."[13][14]

The Spence Bay nurse, Judy Hill, was born at Kingsbridge, England. Judy Hill's mother was a matron at a local hospital. In 1977 a BBC reporter, Jim McDougall, published a book titled Angel of the Snow about Judy Hill.[15] According to McDougall a Judy Hill Memorial Fund was organised and contributions was made from around the world. The money is used to help in the training of nurses.

McDougall says that Neemee and David were buried in a private plot in Edmonton. Judy Hill's body was taken to Banff where she was cremated and her ashes were scattered by Judy's boyfriend Chris at a quiet place on the Bow River.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Marten Hartwell

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from Grokipedia
Marten Hartwell (1925 – April 2, 2013) was a German-born bush pilot who immigrated to and became renowned for his extraordinary survival of 31 days in the harsh following a medevac plane crash in November 1972, an ordeal in which he sustained broken bones, endured extreme cold, and resorted to after the deaths of his passengers. Born in , , to Ernst and Anna Herrmann, Hartwell grew up during and trained as a teenage glider pilot in the before the war's end. After immigrating to , he pursued a career as a bush pilot in the northern territories, accumulating two years of experience flying in remote areas by 1972. On November 8, 1972, Hartwell was piloting a on a 500-mile medevac flight from to in the , carrying British nurse Judy Hill, pregnant patient Neemee Nulliayuk, and 14-year-old patient David Kootook. The plane crashed near Hottah Lake, approximately 300 kilometers north of , due to poor visibility and Hartwell's lack of an instrument flight rating, resulting in the death of Hill on impact and Nulliayuk shortly after, while Kootook initially survived alongside Hartwell, who suffered broken legs. Stranded in temperatures nearing -40°C with deep , Hartwell and the teenage Kootook initially subsisted on limited plane rations including , , salt, , and frozen medications for about 20 days, while Kootook built a and to aid their survival. Kootook died of on the 23rd day, leaving Hartwell alone to melt for water and survive on dwindling resources like candle wax before resorting to eating from nurse Hill's body during the final week to avoid . He was rescued on December 9, 1972, after 31 days, in a severely weakened state. In the aftermath, Hartwell provided a detailed 24-page statement at a coroner's in March 1973, confirming the as a desperate measure, though he temporarily lost his pilot's license. He later resumed flying, operating a business, and his story inspired cultural works, including a song titled "The Marten Hartwell Story" by Canadian musician . Hartwell spent his later years in with partner Susan Haley and passed away at his home in Black River Lake at age 88.

Early Life and Background

Childhood in Germany

Marten Hartwell was born Leopold Herrmann in 1925 in , , to Ernst Herrmann and Anna (Keuchel) Herrmann. He later changed his name to Marten Hartwell. Hartwell developed an early fascination with in . This interest led him to pursue glider training as a teenager within the Luftwaffe's preparatory programs.

World War II Service

At the age of 18 in 1943, Marten Hartwell enlisted in the as a glider pilot trainee, beginning his military aviation service amid the escalating demands of the war. Growing up in wartime , he had developed an early fascination with flying, which led him to this path as a teenager. His initial training focused on gliders, a common entry point for young recruits in the 's pilot program. The war concluded for him in at age 20, with following the German surrender. This period marked the end of his military involvement, after which he returned to civilian life in a devastated .

Aviation Career in Canada

Immigration and Initial Flying Roles

Following the end of , Marten Hartwell, originally named Leopold Herrmann and born in 1925 in , , faced significant hardships in occupied as a farmer's son whose family farm was lost to . He took on various odd jobs to survive, including smuggling fish across borders, working in coal mines, and driving a , amid the economic instability and reconstruction challenges of the post-war period. His early experiences in the during the war's final months provided foundational aviation knowledge, though he avoided flying for 13 years afterward due to trauma from combat. By the late , he renewed his interest in aviation, obtaining a private pilot's license in in 1958 and occasionally flying for a local businessman, while also working as an insurance agent and marrying Emmy, with whom he had a son, Peer. In May 1967, at age 42, Herrmann emigrated from to , arriving in with the initial intention of working as a mechanic in , seeking better economic opportunities in and stability away from Europe's lingering post-war uncertainties; his family remained in at the time. He soon settled in , where he pursued further pilot training and legally changed his surname to Hartwell in 1972 to facilitate integration into Canadian society. During 1968–1970, Hartwell obtained his Canadian commercial pilot's license, building experience through initial roles that included flying and instruction in southern , leveraging his prior German credentials to transition into professional . These early years in marked Hartwell's shift from wartime pilot to civilian aviator, as he accumulated over 2,000 flight hours by the early 1970s, primarily on aircraft like the 180 for charter operations serving geologists and remote crews in before moving northward. His determination to rekindle his flying career, despite starting with odd jobs upon arrival, underscored the opportunities that drew him to amid his post-war struggles.

Bush Piloting Experience

In the early 1970s, Marten Hartwell relocated to the , where he established himself as a bush pilot operating in the remote Canadian Arctic. He initially worked for Parsons Airways, where he was involved in a crash near in 1969 that led to his termination from the company, before being hired by Gateway Aviation in the spring of 1972, accumulating experience through diverse missions including geological surveys and supply runs in challenging northern environments. During the winter of 1971, Hartwell flew out of and , navigating the harsh terrain while contending with frequent visibility issues, unreliable radio communications, and the demands of operating from improvised landing sites on frozen or ice. By late 1972, he had logged just over 2,000 total flight hours, including approximately 25–30 hours in the twin-engine Beech 18, a versatile aircraft suited to bush operations despite its limitations in extreme cold. In the summer of , Hartwell piloted a single-engine for the Geological Survey of , supporting mapping and exploration efforts across vast, uninhabited regions where weather could shift rapidly from clear skies to blinding blizzards, often forcing pilots to rely on amid magnetic disturbances near the pole. These conditions demanded precise handling of float- or ski-equipped aircraft on unprepared water or snow surfaces, underscoring the high-risk nature of that Hartwell embraced as a relatively recent immigrant to the region.

The 1972 Incident

The Medevac Flight

On November 8, 1972, Marten Hartwell, an experienced bush pilot employed by Gateway Aviation in , was assigned an urgent medevac charter flight from in the to , approximately 500 miles (800 km) south. The mission involved transporting two patients requiring immediate hospital care: 25-year-old Néemée Nulliayok, who was eight months pregnant and in need of delivery assistance, and 14-year-old David Pisurayak Kootook, suffering from acute ; accompanying them was 27-year-old British nurse Judy Hill, who had been stationed in the remote community of Spence Bay (now ). The aircraft was a twin-engine 18 (registration CF-RLD), a versatile capable of carrying up to 10 passengers but configured for this short-notice with the necessary equipment for patient transport. Hartwell had arrived in earlier that day to drop off prospectors and was promptly tasked with the return medevac upon learning of the patients' deteriorating conditions, highlighting the critical role of ad hoc in serving isolated northern communities. Weather forecasts indicated deteriorating conditions, including thickening clouds, fog, and marginal visibility over the Arctic barrens, with the flight departing as daylight waned in the late autumn season. Despite not being fully instrument-rated for such hazards, Hartwell elected to proceed, influenced by the medical urgency and pressure from health officials, as delaying the flight could have endangered the patients' lives. The departed at approximately 3:30 p.m. local time, following a southerly route across the frozen and barren lands toward , navigating by visual references in the challenging terrain. This decision underscored Hartwell's extensive background in northern , where pilots often balanced operational risks against the life-saving imperatives of remote medical transport.

The Crash

Approximately 30 minutes after takeoff from on a medevac flight to , Marten Hartwell encountered deteriorating weather conditions, including thick clouds, , and rapidly diminishing visibility below one mile, compounded by the rapidly darkening sky. These factors, combined with an unreliable magnetic due to extreme magnetic variation and the absence of radio beacon signals, caused Hartwell—who lacked an —to become spatially disoriented and veer 250 kilometers off course to the west. Attempting to regain visual reference, he descended the twin-engine Beechcraft 18 to around 2,000 feet, but the aircraft struck treetops with its right wingtip before colliding at low altitude with a snow-covered hillside southwest of , approximately 300 kilometers north of . The impact was catastrophic, with the plane cartwheeling approximately 100 meters across the terrain and disintegrating upon hitting the hillside, scattering wreckage amid the frozen wilderness. Nurse Judy Hill, seated in the co-pilot position, was killed instantly from massive trauma sustained in the crash. Patient Neemee Nulliayuk, suffering from a broken back and other severe injuries, died shortly afterward that evening, while 14-year-old David Kootook sustained injuries but remained conscious initially. Hartwell himself was rendered unconscious briefly by the force of the collision but regained awareness trapped in the , his legs pinned beneath the deformed seats; he had sustained bilateral fractures to both ankles, a shattered left , a broken , torn tendons in his fingers, multiple cuts, and the onset of from exposure to the sub-zero temperatures. Despite the agony and immobilization, he remained alert enough to communicate with Kootook, who assisted in freeing him from the wreckage using tools from the aircraft. The emergency locator transmitter failed to activate, leaving the survivors without immediate means to signal for help amid the remote, frozen landscape.

Survival Ordeal

Immediate Survival Challenges

Following the crash of the 18 on November 8, 1972, Marten Hartwell regained consciousness amid the wreckage, suffering from severe injuries including a broken , shattered left , and fractures in both ankles and legs, which left him largely immobile and in excruciating pain. Unable to walk, he painstakingly crawled approximately 12 yards (11 meters) to a nearby tree over the course of two hours, assessing the scene where nurse Judy Hill had died on impact from a fractured , and passenger Neemee Nulliayuk succumbed hours later to a broken back. The 14-year-old David Kootook, injured but mobile, provided crucial initial assistance, helping Hartwell move slightly from the debris while the aircraft's radio remained inoperable, severing any chance of immediate distress calls. The offered scant provisions, including six cans of , four packages of dehydrated chicken noodle soup, cheese sandwiches, , , 12 Oxo cubes, cookies, rice, powdered potatoes, glucose pills, and packets of raisins—enough for roughly eight days under normal conditions but severely limited by their injuries and the dropping temperatures that reached -30°C (-22°F) at night, with wind chills amplifying the cold to -38°C (-36°F) or lower. Kootook, under Hartwell's direction, gathered what resources he could, including two engine covers from the plane for potential use, while the absence of functional communication equipment heightened their isolation in the remote Barren Lands. Kootook also collected for food and attempted to fish at a nearby lake but returned empty-handed after two days. In the first few days, efforts to establish basic shelter and warmth proved arduous; Kootook constructed a rudimentary using two sleeping bags, a spruce pole, a , an cover, and a hospital blanket to against the wind and snow, though the structure offered minimal protection from the unrelenting cold. He also chopped and collected to start and maintain a small , essential for drying clothes and providing fleeting warmth, despite challenges from wet conditions and gusts that threatened to extinguish it. Initial attempts to , such as arranging debris or using reflective materials from the kit, yielded no results, as the crash site's remoteness delayed any search efforts. The psychological toll was immediate and profound, with Hartwell grappling with overwhelming grief over the deaths of Hill and Nulliayuk, compounded by the of abandonment in the vast, unforgiving where rescue seemed improbable without a working . Over the first three to five days, the duo's dependence on each other fostered a fragile , but the constant pain, pangs from rationing, and encroaching intensified Hartwell's sense of despair, as the reality of their predicament sank in amid the silence of the frozen landscape.

Methods of Subsistence and Cannibalism

Following the crash on November 8, 1972, Hartwell and the surviving passenger, David Kootook, initially subsisted on the limited emergency rations aboard the , which included sandwiches, tins of , , raisins, , and . These supplies lasted approximately 16 days, after which they were exhausted, forcing the survivors to improvise with non-edible items such as gnawing on candles and consuming frozen medications from the nurse's medical kit. Kootook attempted to for additional by into the surrounding , but his efforts were unsuccessful due to the deep , extreme cold, and Hartwell's immobilizing injuries, which prevented further joint exploration for lichens, , or small game. After Kootook's death from on December 1, Hartwell, alone and weakened, made the desperate decision to resort to to avoid certain death from exposure and . He used an axe salvaged from the wreckage to dismember the body of the deceased nurse, Judy Hill, beginning with muscle tissue from her thigh, and stored portions in an empty ration box for later consumption. Hartwell did not consume flesh from Kootook or the other passenger, Neemee Nulliayuk, focusing solely on Hill's remains, which he rationed over the final week of his ordeal to sustain minimal energy. He maintained a for warmth using wood gathered earlier by Kootook and any available salvaged materials from the crash site, while obtaining water by eating snow directly. The physical toll of these subsistence methods was profound, exacerbating Hartwell's injuries and leading to severe deterioration. His broken legs, sustained in the crash, developed worsening infections that immobilized him further, while prolonged caused significant , leaving him emaciated and barely able to move. Isolation and caloric deprivation also induced hallucinations, compounding the psychological strain of his circumstances and the act of itself. Despite these effects, Hartwell's rationed intake of provided just enough sustenance to keep him alive until rescue on December 8.

Rescue and Immediate Aftermath

Search Operations

When the piloted by Hartwell failed to arrive in as expected on November 8, 1972, Gateway Aviation notified authorities that evening, initiating the search effort. The Canadian Forces launched aerial searches the following day, , deploying including transports to cover a broad area along the anticipated flight path from , initially within a roughly 200-km radius but expanding as the operation continued, ultimately covering approximately 80,500 square miles (208,500 square kilometers) with over 952 flight hours. These efforts were severely hampered by severe blizzards, whiteouts, and sub-zero temperatures ranging from -20°C to -30°C, which reduced visibility and grounded planes for days at a time. In parallel, ground-based searches were organized by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and local Indigenous trappers in the region, who used dog teams to patrol potential crash sites near known trails and lakes; however, the vast, frozen and persistent storms limited their effectiveness through late . (context on RCMP involvement in northern aviation incidents) By early December, public pressure and renewed appeals from the community prompted an escalation to a full-scale operation, incorporating additional helicopters alongside for low-level scanning and beacon detection. This phase, coordinated by the Canadian Forces , marked one of the largest aerial searches in Canadian history and incurred costs exceeding CAD 1 million. The intensified efforts ultimately detected Hartwell's emergency locator transmitter on December 7, leading to his rescue the following day.

Discovery and Evacuation

On December 8, 1972, after approximately 31 days in the wilderness, Marten Hartwell was finally located during an escalated search operation by the Canadian Forces. A aircraft, flying as part of the renewed effort, detected a sustained signal and spotted Hartwell waving a red flare beside the wreckage of his near Hottah Lake, south of and roughly 300 km north of . Hartwell's condition upon discovery was weakened from prolonged starvation and exposure, barely able to stand or hobble due to fractures in both ankles and left , along with a broken . Despite his frailty, he remained coherent, communicating basics of the crash and ordeal to the arriving team of paramedics Al Williams and Harvey Copeland, who parachuted in to assist. Evacuation proceeded swiftly via military helicopter, transporting Hartwell first to Stanton Yellowknife Hospital for stabilization against extreme and risks. On December 10, he was airlifted to for urgent surgery to address his fractures, where physicians initially considered of both legs but opted for conservative treatment that preserved his limbs.

Inquest and Long-Term Impact

Official Inquiry

The coroner's inquest into the November 1972 plane crash involving Marten Hartwell was convened in , , in March 1973. The proceedings examined the circumstances leading to the deaths of nurse Judy Hill, patient Neemee Nulliayuk, and passenger David Kootook, focusing on the flight's operational details and Hartwell's survival account. Evidence presented included flight logs from Gateway Aviation, weather reports indicating deteriorating conditions en route from to , and a 24-page written statement by Hartwell, read into the record by an RCMP inspector since Hartwell, recovering from injuries in , did not initially attend despite a . Autopsy reports confirmed that the three passengers perished from crash-related injuries and subsequent exposure and , with testimony detailing Kootook's as starvation after 23 days. Meteorological data highlighted poor visibility due to a sudden that blew the off course, contributing to Hartwell's disorientation during the flight. The inquest jury determined the crash resulted from , as Hartwell deviated from the prescribed and flew into worsening weather despite available forecasts provided by the operator. The verdict classified the deaths as accidental, with no criminal liability assigned to Hartwell for the crash or his subsequent acts of , which were ruled a necessary measure for given the remote location and lack of provisions after rations depleted. Hartwell's statement detailed resorting to consuming portions of Hill's remains after her death, an action not extended to the others, and the RCMP investigation concluded without charges, citing the extreme conditions. The jury also recommended posthumous recognition of Kootook's efforts to assist in , leading to his later award of a .

Personal Recovery and Public Scrutiny

Following his rescue on December 9, 1972, Marten Hartwell was airlifted to Stanton Yellowknife Hospital for initial treatment of severe , exposure, and injuries sustained in the crash, including broken ankles and a fractured . By December 12, he had been transferred to Misericordia Hospital in , , where he underwent surgery on his ankles and received antibiotics to combat infections developed during his 31-day ordeal. His hospitalization extended through the winter into spring 1973, involving nutritional rehabilitation to address and multiple procedures to stabilize his fractures, leaving him in a for several months. The physical toll resulted in one leg being permanently shorter than the other, causing a lifelong limp. Hartwell's psychological recovery proved more protracted and challenging, marked by symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder, including persistent nightmares and a profound sense of isolation. His fiancée, Susan Haley, recalled that he endured "a long period of nightmares and what now would probably be called PTSD," reflecting the emotional scars from starvation, loss, and his reluctant resort to cannibalism to survive. Initially, Hartwell was deeply reluctant to discuss the cannibalism, expressing a desire to "forget" the ordeal in a detailed 24-page statement he prepared with Haley's assistance shortly after arriving in Edmonton. While no formal counseling records are publicly documented from this period, his introspection and Haley's support aided his gradual reintegration, though the trauma contributed to feelings of being an outcast. The immediate aftermath thrust Hartwell into a media frenzy that intensified public scrutiny, with international outlets portraying him as the "cannibal survivor" of an nightmare. Coverage erupted in February 1973 following leaks about the , drawing comparisons to the contemporaneous Andes flight disaster and featuring prominently in publications like . Hartwell's first major public account came on March 1, 1973, when his statement was read aloud at the coroner's inquest in , detailing the grim necessities of survival; he began granting interviews shortly thereafter, including to on March 2, where he described the "unbelievable" pain and moral anguish of his choices. Tabloid headlines such as "Cannibal Pilot" amplified the , subjecting him to widespread judgment despite the inquest's ruling of accidental deaths for his passengers. Amid the glare of attention, Hartwell found solace in family support, reuniting with fiancée Susan Haley at the hospital in , where she provided emotional backing during his recovery. Haley's advocacy, including her efforts to lobby authorities to resume the search for him during his ordeal, underscored their close bond, helping him navigate the tabloid intrusion and public fascination in early 1973.

Later Life and Legacy

Post-Incident Career

Following his rescue in December 1972, Hartwell temporarily lost his pilot's license due to the circumstances of the crash and the subsequent official . Despite severe injuries, including broken legs that left one shorter than the other and caused a lifelong , he regained his license less than two years later and resumed flying in . By the mid-1970s, Hartwell had settled in Fort Norman (now ), Northwest Territories, where he partnered with his future wife, Susan Haley, to establish Ursus Aviation, a charter airline operating bush planes in the region. The company provided essential transport services to remote communities, and Hartwell continued piloting for over a decade, accumulating further flight hours in challenging conditions. During this period, he survived a second plane crash near Fort Norman, walking approximately 30 kilometers back to the airfield after his floatplane struck the tree canopy. Hartwell's professional life in Fort Norman was marked by strong community ties, with local residents offering protection from external judgment over his survival ordeal and rarely discussing it publicly. He expressed through events like a community party he hosted to thank supporters, while maintaining a low profile on the incident itself in professional settings. By the 1980s, as he approached retirement from active flying, Hartwell shifted focus away from , supported by the modest stability of his long-term career in the north.

Death and Memorials

In his later years, Marten Hartwell lived quietly with his longtime partner, Susan Haley, in Black River, , where he had relocated after decades in the Canadian North. His health declined due to from injuries sustained in the 1972 plane crash, including a lifelong limp resulting from multiple leg fractures that left one leg shorter than the other; he also experienced recurring nightmares related to the ordeal. Hartwell died on April 2, 2013, at the age of 88, from , at his home in Black River. He was survived by his son Peer Herrmann (), daughters Anna Haley (Halifax) and Charlotte Haley (), brother Ernst Herrmann (), granddaughter Mariana Herrmann, and several nieces and nephews. By his request, there was no visitation or public funeral service, and arrangements were handled privately with cremation by White Family Funeral Home in , . Hartwell's survival story endures as a cornerstone of Canadian Arctic lore, commemorated in the 1973 song "The Marten Hartwell Story" by folk singer Stompin' Tom Connors, which recounts his medevac flight and ordeal. His experiences have been retold in numerous books, such as The Survivor by Peter Tadman (1991), and podcasts including episodes from Disaster Area (2016) and Casting Lots (2020), with continued media coverage highlighting his resilience as late as 2024.

References

  1. https://www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/78361
  2. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/pilot-who-survived-1972-arctic-medevac-crash-dies-at-88-1.1305702
  3. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/marten-hartwell-an-epic-tale-of-arctic-survival
  4. https://www.nytimes.com/1973/03/02/archives/bush-pilot-tells-of-cannibalism-stranded-in-arctic-he-had-eaten.html
  5. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/470590498/?locale=en-US
  6. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/470590498/
  7. https://uphere.ca/articles/web-exclusive-marten-hartwell-story
  8. http://lackenbauer.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2017-AL-PWL-CAF-Arctic-Ops.pdf
  9. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/28128
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/10/archives/canadians-rescue-pilot-of-plane-lost-a-month-in-arctic-canadians.html
  11. https://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist19730302/1973_03_02_djvu.txt
  12. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/day-in-history-dec-19-1972-alderman-disgusted-by-secret-burial-of-inuit-killed-in-hartwell-crash
  13. https://www.ebay.com/itm/387530222681
  14. https://susanhaley.ca/2015/01/18/walking/
  15. https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2013/04/05/survivor-of-1972-arctic-crash-dies-at-88/
  16. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34846546-the-survivor
  17. https://disasterareapodcast.libsyn.com/2016/12
  18. https://castinglotspod.home.blog/2020/01/16/13-ice-part-iv-the-marten-hartwell-story/
  19. https://cabinradio.ca/113419/news/arts/history/what-was-happening-in-the-northwest-territories-in-1973/
  20. https://canadaehx.substack.com/p/the-heroic-sacrifice-of-david-kootook
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