Arctic Trucks produces vehicles capable of operating in the extreme conditions of the Arctic Circle. During the first-ever expedition across Canada’s continental shelf into the Arctic, one of their F-150-based AT44 trucks broke through the ice and sank to the bottom on the final leg of an otherwise successful trip. Luckily, no one was inside the vehicle, but since Arctic Trucks has a policy of leaving nothing behind during expeditions, the team decided to return the vehicle no matter the cost.
Transglobal Car Expedition arrived to help, working in collaboration with Canadian federal and local authorities. At the end of August, two search boats were sent to the scene. It turned out that despite the strong current, the F-150 remained close to the place where it fell through the ice. The car overturned and was submerged in about 50 feet (15.2 meters) of water.
Operation to recover Arctic Trucks AT44 Ford F-150
A team of divers attached lines and buoyancy bags to the pickup truck to first get the vehicle into shallow water. The vehicle, as well as all equipment, personal belongings and documents from the Arctic Trucks team, were then lifted into the air by helicopter and successfully transported to Gjoa Haven in Nunavut. Oddly enough, with the exception of one of the rear wheels, the F-150 was intact and undamaged. Unlike all electrical wiring and electronic control units of the car.
Source: Motortrend Photo: Arctic Trucks