The Prime Minister is assuring Canadians they will get answers into how a Canadian Armed Forces CH-148 Cyclone helicopter went down Wednesday off the coast of Greece.
The aircraft had been deployed on HMCS Fredericton as part of Operation Reassurance, a NATO mission in central and eastern Europe.
Five members of the Canadian Armed Forces are missing and one member of the crew is dead. Sub-lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough has been identified as the deceased.
“There are no words that can relieve your pain, just know that all of Canada and the Armed Forces are behind you,” said General Jonathan Vance.
General Vance stressed it is a time of agony for members of the armed forces saying there’s nothing worse than sending your fellow members off into the horizon and not having them return.
Justin Trudeau shared his condolences with those impacted by the tragedy as well.
“In this time of grief, Canadian Armed Forces members keep their heads held high and they step towards danger ensuring we remain safe. They never say no, they are always ready,” Trudeau said.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says they are in contact with nearby countries who are helping them look for the members of the helicopter.
“The cause of the crash is unknown at this time and search efforts are ongoing for the remaining members of the helicopter,” Sajan said.
Both the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister said this tragedy is having a big impact on families in Nova Scotia.
The voice recorder and the flight data recorder have been recovered and officials are continuing an investigation into the circumstances into the accident.
