The body of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough who was killed in the crash of a Canadian military Cyclone helicopter will arrive back in Canada tomorrow.
There will be a repatriation ceremony for her at CFB Trenton, while the five other Canadian Forces personnel who are now presumed dead will also be honoured.
The six died when the Royal Canadian Air Force Cyclone helicopter crashed during a training mission off the coast of Greece last Wednesday night.
Cowbrough’s body was recovered and some additional remains were also discovered during the search for the missing but cannot be identified at this time.
Her remains will be transported from Trenton to Toronto along the “Highway of Heroes” for a coroner’s examination.
The other five will be represented by different military headgear, depending on whether they were members of the Royal Canadian Navy or Royal Canadian Air Force. The headgear will be resting on pillows to be carried off the plane by fellow military members.
Those missing and presumed dead are Capt. Brenden Ian MacDonald of New Glasgow, N.S.; Capt. Kevin Hagen of Nanaimo, B.C.; Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin of Trois-Rivieres, Que.; Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke of Truro, N.S.; and Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins of Guelph, Ont.
It’s still not clear what caused the CH-148 Cyclone to crash, but the helicopter’s flight data recorders were found in the debris and are to be analyzed at the National Research Council in Ottawa.
For more details on Wednesday’s ceremony, please click here.
A repatriation ceremony will take place at 8 Wing Trenton on Wed. May 6, 2:30 p.m. EST for the six #CAF members killed in a helicopter crash during #OpREASSURANCE. Following the ceremony, the motorcade will proceed to Toronto, via the Highway of Heroes. https://t.co/NZry6IkAOU
— Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) May 4, 2020
Yesterday, HMCS Fredericton held a dignified disembarkation ceremony in Taranto, Italy, to honour our fallen.#WeWillRememberThem pic.twitter.com/WRp8EyZk9F
— Canadian Armed Forces Operations (@CFOperations) May 4, 2020
