The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax raised eyebrows in Newfoundland and Labrador after an official at the centre confused the names of a western Newfoundland peninsula and a Caribbean city.

In a voice recording made by a JRCC employee, there was some confusion about the location of a duck hunter who was reported missing Monday evening when he did not return to his home in the West Bay area.

"We are currently assisting the police up in Newfoundland on a search for a 51-year-old male duck hunter that is missing in the Port-au-Prince peninsula area."

'Pure slip of the tongue. We all understand that Port-au-Prince is in the Dominican Republic.'—Maj. Martell Thompson, JRCC

JRCC official Maj. Martell Thompson explained that the employee meant to say the Port au Port Peninsula.

"Pure slip of the tongue," Thompson said.

"We all understand that Port-au-Prince is in the Dominican Republic."

Port-au-Prince is actually the capital city of Haiti.

Port of Port, MacKay says

When asked about the confusion during question period in the House of Commons on Tuesday, even Defence Minister Peter MacKay, who represents the riding of Central Nova in Nova Scotia, had some difficulty properly identifying the location.

"This individual was an experienced navigator who had spent a lot of time in Haiti, and simply misspoke when he said Port-au-Prince.

"He clearly meant Port of Port."

Search scaled back

Search and rescue workers did go to the correct area off the Port au Port Peninsula to search for the lost hunter.

Meanwhile, the RCMP said the search for the missing hunter has been scaled back. An air search has been completed, but ground personnel remain on the scene.

The RCMP will send an underwater recovery team at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.