A funeral with full military honours was held Saturday at a military base outside Quebec City for a search-and-rescue technician who died during a rescue mission in Nunavut last month.

Sgt. Janick Gilbert,, 34, was killed Oct. 27 while he and two other rescue technicians were trying to pick up two men stranded in a boat in choppy seas. The three rescuers had parachuted into the frigid Arctic waters from a C-130 Hercules plane, about 25 kilometres east of Igloolik.

Gilbert was killed Oct. 27 during an arctic marine rescue near the Nunavut hamlet of Igloolik. Canadian Forces

Gilbert died before a helicopter flew in to pick up the group.

Gilbert's wife, Melisa Lesquir, said his efforts helped result in the rescue of two local citizens.

"My husband gave his life so that others may live," she said in a statement. "We are extremely proud of him."

Gilbert, who was born in Baie-Comeau, Que., was based at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario.

Gilbert first joined the 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment in 1998. He had children, although the military is not releasing details about his family.

With files from The Canadian Press