Shearwater Cyclone crew remembered

Six members of the Canadian Armed Forces died April 29, 2020

They were remembered as a man of quick wit and rugged determination who focused on family, a sailor who lived her life to the absolute fullest and played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes to honour 22 Nova Scotians murdered last year, a pilot whose smile would light up any room and who always put others first, an air combat systems operator who was both athlete and academic, a New Glasgow pilot who loved motorcycles and heavy metal music, and a naval warfare officer from Truro who was an avid hunter and fisherman.

Six members of the Canadian

Armed Forces died April 29, 2020, when their Cyclone helicopter plunged into the Ionian Sea off the west coast of Greece during training exercises.

“Deployed on Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Fredericton, serving as part of an operation with our NATO allies in Europe, they followed in a long tradition of Canadians serving far from our shores in an effort to make the world a safer place,” Maj.-Gen. Eric Kenny, commander of the 1st Canadian Air Division, said in speech prepared to mark the somber occasion.

Canadians rallied around the families of the fallen in the wake of the accident, Kenny said.

“The outpouring of love and support and the sharing of grief was seen and heard from every corner of our vast nation and from allies and supporters around the world. I want the people of Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada to know that your support was not only noticed but felt on a profound level, and that it is very deeply appreciated.”

The military unveiled a memorial last Thursday to the crew of Stalker-22, the CH148 helicopter that crashed one year ago, in a ceremony that had to be adjusted due to surging COVID-19 levels.

“This memorial will stand to remind us each day of the bravery and commitment to service personified by our six fallen,” Kenny said.

In an interview Thursday, the commanding officer of 423 Squadron said this is a challenging time for both his people and the families of those who died in the crash.

“The families — we continue to keep contact with them, we’re continuing to make sure that they feel supported and that if they’ve got concerns or questions on anything they’re able to reach out to us,” said Lt.-Col. Bill Thomey.

Last year’s crash prompted the military to ground Cyclones temporarily.

Senior military officials have said there was a “conflict” or “competition” between the Cyclone and its pilot moments before that chopper plunged into the ocean as it was returning to HMCS Fredericton.

An investigation found the aircraft did not respond as the pilot anticipated when he made a final left turn to approach and land on the frigate, which is based in Halifax.

When they announced the resumption of Cyclone flights last June, Royal Canadian Air Force officials said investigators had been able to recreate the circumstances surrounding the crash using information from the Cyclone’s flight-data recorders, which were recovered from the sea.

Flight crews now have procedures in place to deal with the circumstances that brought down Stalker-22, Thomey said.

“So, in the event a similar incidence occurs, we would be able to react and we have that training now to be able to get out of a situation where there may be a conflict.”