RCAF Rescues Eight Men Adrift on Ice Floe

Eight men went adrift on an ice floe near Coral Harbour, NU on January 9 and were rescued by a CC-130 Hercules and CH-149 Cormorant team of the Royal Canadian Air Force on January 11.

Royal Canadian Air Force, January 11, 2015 - WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) rescued eight men adrift on an ice floe near Coral Harbour, NU.

The group went adrift on January 9, which initiated a local rescue effort. On January 10, Nunavut Emergency Measures Organization requested assistance from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Trenton, Ont., as the floe was drifting beyond the local community's reach. The rescue was completed on January 11 with all men being airlifted to Coral Harbour.

Quick Facts

The group of men was well-prepared for the elements and had a SPOT beacon, which regularly transmitted their location.

The first RCAF aircraft on scene was a CC-130 Hercules from 435 Squadron at 17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba. It arrived at 5:30 p.m. EST on January 10 and dropped radios, survival equipment, rations, water, and life rafts as a precautionary measure.

The men were rescued on the morning of January 11 by a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from 413 Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and were returned safely to Coral Harbour.

At the time of rescue the group was approximately 55 Km south of Coral Harbour and about 27 Km from the nearest shoreline.

Also involved in the effort were additional CH-149 crew members from 103 Squadron at 9 Wing Gander, Newfoundland, and a second CC-130 Hercules from 413 Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood used to transport the additional crew.

In Canada, search and rescue (SAR) is a shared responsibility among federal, provincial/territorial and municipal organizations, as well as air, ground and maritime volunteer SAR organizations.

"This case shows how preparedness greatly increases the chance for survival. It was a great cooperative effort between local volunteer rescue groups, the territorial emergency Measures organization, and the Canadian Armed Forces. We're glad to see a happy conclusion to this mission." Major Vince Meunier, Officer in Charge of JRCC Trenton

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AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant in Canadian Armed Forces