RCAF rescues men from ice floe
Eight men who were adrift on an ice floe near Coral Harbour in the Canadian province of Nunavut were rescued by the Royal Canadian Air Force recently.
Eight men who were adrift on an ice floe near Coral Harbour in the Canadian province of Nunavut were rescued by the Royal Canadian Air Force recently. The men had become adrift on 9 January, necessitating a local rescue effort. On 10 January, the Nunavut Emergency Measures Organization called for assistance from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Trenton, Ontario, as the floe had drifted beyond the reach of local community personnel. The rescue operation was eventually completed on 11 January, and all involved were airlifted to Coral Harbour.
Assets involved in the mission included an RCAF CC-130 Hercules from 435 Squadron out of 17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba, a second CC-130 Hercules from 413 Squadron out of 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter – also from 413 Squadron out of 14 Wing Greenwood – and additional CH-149 crew members from 103 Squadron out of 9 Wing Gander, Newfoundland.
“This case shows how preparedness greatly increases the chance for survival,” commented Major Vince Meunier, officer in charge of Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton. “It was a great co-operative effort between local volunteer rescue groups, the territorial emergency measures organisation, and the Canadian Armed Forces. We’re glad to see a happy conclusion to this mission.”