**** PREMIER’S OFFICE Media Release
-Statement, Helicopter Crash
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NOTE: The following is a statement from Premier Stephen McNeil.
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Today, Nova Scotians are mourning another loss after a Canadian helicopter involved in Operation Reassurance with Halifax’s HMCS Fredericton crashed in international waters off the coast of Greece.
On behalf of the entire province, I extend my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sub.-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough.
Based in Nova Scotia, Sub.-Lt. Cowbrough served her province and country as a marine system engineering officer aboard HMCS Fredericton. Every day, brave men and women in uniform across our country put their own lives at risk, sacrificing so much to secure peace and freedom for us all.
As we await more details of the search efforts for the other five military members aboard the flight, my heart is with all Canadian Armed Forces members and their families.
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**** CAF Release
One member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was killed on Wednesday April 29, 2020 and five other members remain missing following an accident involving a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CH-148 Cyclone helicopter.
The following have been confirmed missing:
· Captain Brenden Ian MacDonald, Pilot, originally from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
· Captain Kevin Hagen, Pilot, originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia
· Captain Maxime Miron-Morin, Air Combat Systems Officer, originally from Trois-Rivières, Québec
· Sub-Lieutenant Matthew Pyke, Naval Weapons Officer, originally from Truro, Nova Scotia
· Master Corporal Matthew Cousins, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator, originally from Guelph, Ontario
Officials confirmed the death of Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough of Nova Scotia earlier.
The helicopter was deployed in the Mediterranean Sea with HMCS Fredericton as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 under Operation REASSURANCE. At the time of the accident, the Canadian ship was conducting collaborative training with Italian and Turkish ships. The Cyclone was conducting concurrent flight operations.
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