Canadian Forces still unsure how to raise helicopter that crashed

OTTAWA — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says the Canadian military is still determining how to raise the wreckage of a military helicopter that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea last week.

“We are actively working on options to recover the remaining fuselage, which will assist with the investigation,” Sajjan said Thursday.

The crash killed six members of the Canadian Forces, though the remains of only one, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, have been recovered.

Related video: Canadian forces members killed in helicopter crash honoured

Chief of the defence staff Jonathan Vance says the crash will be investigated thoroughly but any details about what happened to the Cyclone helicopter won’t be revealed until the probe is entirely complete, not “in dribs and drabs.”

“We’re not planning on proactively releasing what witnesses — if there were, I mean, it sounds like there may have been — but, we’re not going to be releasing that. It’ll all come out together as a proper flight safety investigation.”

The helicopter was deployed aboard HMCS Fredericton on a NATO mission and the military says it was returning to the ship after a training exercise when it crashed.

Vance first said the ship had “lost contact” with the helicopter though the Forces now acknowledge that crew aboard the Fredericton saw it go down in deep water.

The flight data recorders have been recovered and are being analyzed in Canada.

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