Body found in North Nahanni River

Search teams say the body they found in the North Nahanni River on Thursday night was Fred Hardisty, the Fort Simpson man who went missing in the bush in June. The RCMP have yet to confirm the identity, however.

Searchers found the body of Hardisty's friend, David Horesay, in the bush not far away last week.

People from Fort Simpson and other Deh Cho communities have spent close to a month combing the thick bush.

The body discovered on Thursday night was found floating in the river about 20 kilometres from a cabin where Hardisty and Horesay were staying. It was an area searchers had already covered several times in canoes and on the shore.

• FROM JUNE 28, 2005: Searchers find body of missing man, foul play ruled out

Jonas Antoine knew both men. He says they were inseparable friends, who worked hard and spent a lot of time on the land. He says the whole community shares the families' loss.

"They're well known, they're around and they were part of our community and when you miss someone like this, you know, it's felt all over," says Antoine.

Antoine was part of the search team that found Hardisty's body last night. "When we found Frederick [Hardisty] in the river it was kind of a relief. Finally a lot of people can rest a little bit and get some sleep."

Antoine says there are still many questions about how the two experienced woodsmen died.

The Liidllii Kue First Nation and members of the men's families are calling for a public inquiry into the disappearance and deaths.