The Canadian military has recovered partial remains and parts of the Cyclone helicopter that crashed in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Sicily on April 29.
“After eight days over the crash site, we located the helicopter and recovered some remains of our fallen and retrieved multiple pieces of the aircraft that will assist in the ongoing flight safety investigation,” Rear Admiral Craig Baines, commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon at Atlantic forces headquarters on the Halifax waterfront.
“While we were able to recover remains of some of our fallen, it is important to note that we have not yet identified these remains and we cannot tell you whether we have found everyone,” Baines said.
Six crew members died aboard the Royal Canadian Airforce CH-148 Cyclone helicopter when it went down while conducting maritime surveillance operations for Operation Reassurance. The Cyclone was deployed in the area with HMCS Fredericton.
The body of Sub.-lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, who had been living in Halifax, was recovered shortly after the crash and partial remains recovered afterward were identified almost a month ago as one of the Cyclone’s pilots, Capt. Brenden Macdonald of New Glasgow.
Sub.-lt. Matthew Pyke of Truro, Capt. Kevin Hagen of Nanaimo, B.C., Capt. Maxime Miron-morin of Trois-rivieres, Que., and Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins of Guelph, Ont., were the other crew members killed in the crash.
Baines said a forensic pathologist will examine the remains found in the recovery effort when they are returned to Toronto this weekend, positively identify them, and confirm the number of personnel found.
“Once this is complete, the identities of the remains will be released to the families and to the public,” Baines said.
The commander said the recovery mission deployed a U.S. navy remotely operated vehicle about 35 kilometres east of Catania, Sicily. Human remains and Cyclone parts were discovered at a depth of more than three kilometres and in a debris field that spanned 260 metres by 230 metres.
Baines said a large portion of the fuselage was located initially and aircraft components were found in a number of clusters while many small pieces were scattered individually.
“Unfortunately, no part of the main cabin was left intact following the crash, including the external cockpit structure,” Baines said.
The largest piece of the aircraft recovered was from the rear-depth ramp area of the helicopter. Large pieces of the tail pilon and the tail rotor blades were also found.
Col. James Hawthorne, commander of 12 Wing Shearwater, said the military has no insight into the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder information yet and said the ongoing flight safety investigation will eventually reveal those details.
Hawthorne couldn't say if human error was involved in the crash.
“Using that information, we will try to determine exactly what happened during the accident so we don't have a repeat of the accident in the future,” Hawthorne said of data and voice recordings.
Baines said that working at a depth of 3,143 metres was both difficult and risky, so the operation only included searches for remains and pieces of equipment and the helicopter that would be useful to the investigation.
Recovered equipment and aircraft components will also be sent back to Canada.
Baines said the recovery mission is complete and the Canadian military will not be returning to the crash site.
He offered appreciation to the U.S. navy for its help.
“I would like to thank them for all they have done to help bring our shipmates home,” Baines said. “In closing, and speaking more directly to the families of our fallen, it is our hope that this operation provides some closure to you. Please know that the Canadian military family grieves with you.”
