Sub-contracted oilfield employees who were initially stranded at a remote work site north of Fort McMurray, Alta., will soon be returning home.

About 25 workers sub-contracted by Pacer Promec Energy Corporation (PPEC) to work at Canadian Natural Resources Limited's (CNRL) Horizon site located north of Fort McMurray were stranded Wednesday, a day after they were laid off.

PPEC told up to 75 employees at a meeting Tuesday, that the company had gone into receivership.

A photo was taken as the workers waited for buses to take them to a private airstrip for chartered flights home. But the bus never showed up, and the workers were told to find their own way, even though their contracts said their travel home would be covered, a worker, who did not want to be identified, told CTV Edmonton.

When CTV Edmonton attempted to call PPEC on Wednesday, it was directed to a recorded message informing callers that the company had gone into receivership. When CTV Edmonton tried to visit the PPEC office in Calgary, it appeared that no one was there.

On Thursday, a human resources representative from a company sub-contracted by PPEC said the company is now covering the cost of the workers' flights, and CNRL is arranging charter flights for them.

With files from Amanda Anderson