Grounded cruise ship rescue in Nunavut cost Canada's Armed Forces $513K

For Arctic tourists, getting rescued after an expedition goes awry is no doubtpriceless. But for Canadian taxpayers, keeping people safe can come with a hefty price tag.

A spokesperson for the Canadian ArmedForces estimatesit cost $513,025.44 for itsefforts to help 162 passengers and crew on the Akademik Ioffe, a ship carryingtourists and researchers that hit a rock late this summer.

• Investigators, experts ask questions after ship grounded in Arctic

The amountdoes not reflect expenses incurred by the Canadian Coast Guard. Two of its icebreakers headed to the scene to offer assistance.

A statement from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans said it does not "calculate and allocate costs on a case by case basis" because search and rescue tasks are part ofdaily operations.

"When it comes to helping and saving human lives, the Canadian Coast Guard does not seek reimbursement for costs," saidspokesperson HollyFoerterin an email.

But to get a closer look at how much is spent on rescue, Canadian Armed ForcesCapt.ValrieLanouettebroke down the cost to send one military Hercules plane from Trenton, Ont., 14.5 hours toKugaaruk, Nunavut.

Lanouetteestimates the flight's operating costs at $6,500 an hour and costs for rooms, meals and incidentals for the crew added up to $4,400 a total of $98,650 for the use ofone aircraft alone. A second Hercules, plus two helicopters on standby, were also sent to the territory.

The vesselwas eventually refloated and passengers were safely transferred to a sister ship.

'It's a significant expense': Arctic expert

Michael Byers, a University of British Columbia professorwho travelled on the Akademik Ioffe as a lecturer in 2011, saidpolicymakers should consider asking tour companies to stick to major shipping routes orto start footing the bill for these rescues.

"This was not a serious incident," he said, but the "entire response costs money... it's a significant expense for Canadian taxpayers."

When it comes to helping and saving human lives, the Canadian Coast Guard does not seek reimbursement for costs.- HollyFoerter, coast guard spokesperson

Byers said he isn't suggesting individual people who need help should receive a bill in the mailafterward. But, in his view, tour companies in the Arctic Ocean turn their profit by taking risks and going into "sometimes poorly chartedwaters."

He said if the rescue efforts benefit not only passengers and crew, but also the company behind the trip, then "the question does arise if the company should indemnify the Canadian government for these expenses."

Billing could deter victims from calling for help

In a phone call, Lanouettesaid the search and rescue community generally agrees that there is "value" in keeping the service free for those who need it.

Lanouettealso referred to the first volume of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual, which shenotedsays thatdemanding reimbursement could"prompt those in danger to delay calling for assistance until it is either too late to save them, or until the resulting level of [search andrescue]effort needed is much greater."

Lanouettealso said that because search and rescue is often a joint effort with police, volunteers and different federal bodies getting involved it would be odd for any individual agency to begin billingpeople it helped.

CBCNews asked One Ocean Expeditions, the tour company that operatestheAkademikIoffe, about passenger ship companies paying federal bodies for search and rescue, and for a breakdown of what insurance it hasto coveremergencies. It declined to answer those questions.

A representative at NWTTourism also declined to comment on whether tour companies should compensate the Canadian government for search and rescue efforts.