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There will be a full media briefing held on Thursday, December 08, 2005 at 11:30 a.m. at the Gilbert Room, Canadian Coast Guard Southside Base, St. John's.
Canadian Coast Guard Tragedy
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is deeply saddened by the death of two employees, who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Shortly after 15:00 local time a Canadian Coast Guard Helicopter (CG352) landed at Go By Point, near Marystown on the Burin peninsula to conduct maintenance on a fixed aid to navigation.
The pilot indicated that they would be there for approximately one hour and then would proceed to Marystown for an overnight stay. He had filed a flight plan to close at 18:00.
At approximately 17:30 NAVCAN Flight Services in Halifax inquired whether the CCG Helicopter Section had heard from the pilot as the flight plan was approaching its closure.
After a communication search failed to locate the aircraft, a comprehensive search was commenced. At approximately 22:00, two bodies were located and recovered from the water near Go By Point and transported to the nearby hospital at Marystown.
Names are being withheld pending notification of family.
The following resources were involved in the search:
- CCGC W. Jackman;
- HMCS Goose Bay;
- HMCS Glace Bay;
- DND Cormorant from 103 Rescue Squadron Gander;
- DND Hercules aircraft from CFB Greenwood;
- Marystown Ground Search and Rescue team; and
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The CCG is grateful for the assistance provided by DND, RCMP and the Marystown Ground Search and Rescue team.
The thoughts and prayers of all Coast Guard members are with the victims’ families in their time of loss.
There will be a full media briefing held on Thursday, December 08, 2005; venue and time to be announced.
For more information:
Jan Woodford
Regional Director, Communications
NL Region
(709) 772-7622
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