12:56 PM
Liliana Rambawes
A Cormorant helicopter from 442 Squadron, at 19 Wing, and a crew from the Explosive Ordinance Disposal team with their zodiac were dispatched to Comox Lake on Thursday in Victoria to support the RCMP responding to a car in the water. A 911 call was made by a witness. Upon its arrival the Cormorant located the RCMP officers on site and proceeded to insert two Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Tech). The SAR Tech leaped from the hovering aircraft ten feet over the water.
“Immediately after we jumped in the water, we located air bubble reaching the surface”, said Sgt Jean Tremblay, SAR Tech. “We followed the line of bubbles down to approximately 90 feet. The water was extremely dark and even at our maximum depth we couldn’t see the car.” For safety reason, it is regulation for SAR Tech not to dive deeper than 100 feet. The SAR Tech searched the area at the maximum depth and marked the location with a floating device during their asset to the surface.
While the SAR Techs were diving to the car, the Cormorant crew searched the shoreline in hope that occupants would have exited the vehicle and reached land. By then, the EOD members onboard their Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), the RCMP helicopter and the Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue (CV GSAR) were joining the search. “During a rescue, one of the biggest challenge is often to establish communication with multiple agencies”, said Major Jason von Kruse, aircraft commander on the Cormorant. “Thankfully today, the RCMP helicopter was instrumental in relaying information to GSAR until we could talk to them directly.”
The Cormorant retrieved the SAR Tech and their equipment by hoisting down a rescue basket to the water before returning to base. The EOD Team scanned the water with their sonar and determined the bottom of the lake was below 100 feet.
The RCMP is in charge of the search effort and the case remains open at this time.
“Immediately after we jumped in the water, we located air bubble reaching the surface”, said Sgt Jean Tremblay, SAR Tech. “We followed the line of bubbles down to approximately 90 feet. The water was extremely dark and even at our maximum depth we couldn’t see the car.” For safety reason, it is regulation for SAR Tech not to dive deeper than 100 feet. The SAR Tech searched the area at the maximum depth and marked the location with a floating device during their asset to the surface.
While the SAR Techs were diving to the car, the Cormorant crew searched the shoreline in hope that occupants would have exited the vehicle and reached land. By then, the EOD members onboard their Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), the RCMP helicopter and the Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue (CV GSAR) were joining the search. “During a rescue, one of the biggest challenge is often to establish communication with multiple agencies”, said Major Jason von Kruse, aircraft commander on the Cormorant. “Thankfully today, the RCMP helicopter was instrumental in relaying information to GSAR until we could talk to them directly.”
The Cormorant retrieved the SAR Tech and their equipment by hoisting down a rescue basket to the water before returning to base. The EOD Team scanned the water with their sonar and determined the bottom of the lake was below 100 feet.
The RCMP is in charge of the search effort and the case remains open at this time.
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