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Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said an Aurora aircraft was sent to the region. “The air crew performed various multi-sensor searches in the area, including an acoustic search for 1.5 hours, without detecting any acoustic anomalies,” he explained. “The crew did not detect any surface or subsurface contacts.”

The Aurora crew did observe two pods of whales and six walruses in the area of interest, Le Bouthillier added.

Residents have suggested various theories for the sounds, including sonar surveys by a mining company or a device used by environmentalists to scare away animals so they can’t be hunted.

The Aurora mission was conducted after the office of the Premier of Nunavut requested the federal government investigate the noises. “We appreciate the information provided by the government of Nunavut and will follow up with the premier’s office once the investigation has concluded,” Le Bouthillier said.

Over the years, there have been various reports of sightings of mysterious objects in Canada’s Arctic waters. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, there were at least a dozen sightings of unusual objects moving along or just below the surface of the water, mostly around Baffin Island, according to Canadian Forces records.

Inuit hunters and members of the Canadian Rangers reported what they believed were foreign submarines checking out Canada’s Arctic territories. Many of the sightings took place near Pond Inlet on Baffin Island.

In particular, one sighting was well-documented. A RCMP officer and several area residents saw an object just below the surface, producing a three-metre bow wave as it moved through the water. Several weeks later, a group of hunters saw the object again.

The Canadian military conducted an investigation into the various sightings but concluded strong currents or the wind could have caused the unusual waves reported by the officer and Inuit. At the time, the Canadian military said it could not find any evidence of foreign submarines operating in the area.