FILE PHOTO: Air detachment members aboard HMCS Fredericton attach a fueling hose on the hoist cable of a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter during Operation Reassurance at sea February 15, 2020, in this picture obtained from social media. Picture taken February 15
Ottawa: The Canadian government announced on Saturday the death of five Canadian soldiers who had been missing off the coast of Greece after a military helicopter crashed last Wednesday during a NATO operation, bringing the total number of victims to six after a body of a Canadian soldier was also found earlier.
The body of a 23-year-old Canadian female soldier was found soon after the accident, between the wreckage of the military helicopter that crashed during the NATO operation at sea between Greece and Italy, according to Canadian officials.
Cyclone Sikorsky CH-148 helicopter was on the way back to the frigate (Fredericton) after a training mission when the connection was lost last Wednesday night.
"Today, with the call to end the search and rescue mission, I join all Canadians in mourning the loss of six Canadian armed forces members," Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.
More than 900 Canadian soldiers are deployed throughout Eastern Europe as part of Operation Reassurance -- Canada's largest current international military deployment.
Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said that the cause of the crash was "unknown," but that an automatic beacon was discovered in the waters, and the helicopter's cockpit voice and flight data recorders had been recovered. (QNA)
