A Snowcat and loader remain on the bottom of the Nisultin River today as Northwestel Inc. and representatives from several other agencies try to figure out what to do.

Northwestel spokeswoman Anne Kennedy said this morning the Snowcat sunk last Thursday afternoon while it was clearing a path under the bridge for a scissor-lift required by technicians to relocate lines running under the bridge.

It was determined Friday by company officials and representatives of Environment Canada that the best option was to wait until today to seek permission from the Yukon government to winch the Snowcat out from on top of the bridge, she explained.

Kennedy said it appears that on Sunday afternoon, the loader sunk into the river when representatives of a Teslin contracting firm that does work for the phone company from time to time decided on their own to try to remove the Snowcat.

A conference call among representatives of Northwestel, Environment Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Deadman Creek Enterprises is scheduled for tomorrow morning to discuss the situation.

Kennedy said she doesn't know why the contracting company was attempting to raise the Snowcat, nor any of the details surrounding the failed attempt.

Representatives of Deadman Creek Enterprises could not be reached by phone late this morning.

Kennedy said the Northwestel technician who was operating the plow-equipped Snowcat was on his third and final pass across the river when the rear of the machine broke through the ice.

He was unable to open the door as the machine began sinking but was able to climb through the window onto the roof and jump to the safety of solid ice, she said.

Kennedy noted the ice thickness had been measured at just under half a metre (16 inches) prior to the work commencing.

'He was returning to shore on his third and final pass and he was about halfway across on a section he had been over twice before ... and that is where he broke through.'

The Snowcat is completely submerged, but the roof lights of the loader can been seen poking out of the hole where it went through.

Kennedy said she was not sure whether the loader was on top of the Snowcat.

However, George Balmer of Environment Canada said this morning it's his understanding the loader broke through and sunk a little distance away from the Snowcat.

Balmer said officials from his office were on their way to Teslin this afternoon to investigate. Whether charges will be laid has not yet been determined, said the head of enforcement for Environment Canada.

Balmer said he understands there was no problem with leaking fuel from the Snowcat. However, whether the same can be said of the loader won't be determined until after the officials arrive on the scene.