'You are my heartbeat': Iqaluit parents search for son who missed his flight

The parents of an Ontario university student who was visiting Iqaluit have been searching the city for him since he missed his return flight last week.

Ambar Roy, 18, missed his flight out of Iqaluit on Tuesday, March 12, RCMP said in a news release Monday.

Roy was visiting his parents, who currently live in Iqaluit, his mother, Bijoya Roy, told CBC News. She said he had come up from Waterloo, Ont., where he's in his first year of studies at the University of Waterloo.

Bijoya Roy said her son has not returned to their home since he first went to the airport.

"I don't know if he's alive or dead," Bijoya Roy said in an interview.

"That's my worst fear. Like, I don't know what he's doing, or I don't know if somebody kidnap him. I have no idea."

An RCMP spokesperson said it appears that Ambar Roy returned to the airport on Wednesday and Thursday, but no travel ticket was issued. He was last seen leaving the airport at 11 a.m. on March 14.

Roy's mother said Ambar does not have his cellphone with him, he has not been returning messages, and he did not accept some money his father had transferred to him electronically.

"My older son text him many times, leave a message on social media, Snapchat … but he is not responding to anyone," she said.

'Please, come home'

Roy is five foot six inches tall, weighs about 135 pounds and has a slim build. He has medium-length black hair and brown eyes.

Police said Roy was last seen wearing jeans, a camouflage sweater, a blue sweater and brown running shoes with white print. He was carrying an olive-coloured backpack.

Bijoya Roy said she's worried is not adequately dressed for the cold weather — the daytime temperature in Iqaluit on Monday was –27 C, but with the wind chill it felt more like –41, according to Environment Canada.

She and her husband have been searching the city for Ambar every day. She wants her son to know they want him to come home.

"Your dad and me, we cannot survive without you. You are my heartbeat," she said.

Anyone with information about Roy's whereabouts is asked to call the Iqaluit RCMP detachment at 867-979-0123 or, in the event of an emergency, the Nunavut RCMP dispatch centre at 867-979-1111.

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