'Operation Inspiration' has officially been put on hold following a tragic crash in BC this past weekend.
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds had been making their way across the country, flying over communities in hopes of boosting morale amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more: CF Snowbirds to start the western part of their cross-Canada tour
They were expected to fly through southern Alberta early this week, however the Snowbirds Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. Mike French says the jets are now subject to an "operational pause".
Shortly after takeoff on Sunday, one of the team's Tutor jets crashed into a residential area close to the airport in Kamloops.
Read more: Snowbirds jet crashes in Kamloops
Both the pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, and the Snowbirds' public affairs officer Capt. Jennifer Casey ejected. Sadly Casey was killed while MacDougall suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries.
"The team is devastated by the loss of Jenn," says French, adding that she was a tireless and energetic public affairs officer who loved her job. "She had just received a 1 Canadian Air Division Commander’s coin in recognition of her stellar efforts and a nomination was being drafted for a Chief of the Defence Staff commendation. Her loss is a serious blow to not only our Team, but to the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Armed Forces as a whole."
French says an investigation is underway to determine what caused the fatal crash and 'Operation Inspiration' has been postponed until further notice.
"Safety is the number one priority of the Snowbirds," he says. "Safety is always a concern to us. That is why we are going through this investigation, to find out exactly what happened before we take any further steps."
French says the priorities of the Snowbirds are always the safety of the public, the safety of the personnel, and then the protection of the equipment and property. He says the circumstances surrounding the crash led to the confluence of every worst case scenario and that it became an "absolute worst nightmare".
The Snowbirds pilots are highly trained, French says, adding the team does a brief before every takeoff. Furthermore, French says the planes are broken down and rebuilt approximately every two years. He says they are inspected every day to make sure they are serviced properly and that the pilot does a walk around prior to each flight.
French says he hopes the mission of the Snowbirds will be able to continue.
"The mission for the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, as Canadian ambassadors, we demonstrate the skill, professionalism, and teamwork of the Canadian Forces and we serve as a platform for recruiting," he says. "It's a mission that I can get behind, it's a mission I believe in, it's a mission that I believe is important."
For now, French says the team will re-group in the coming days and come together to mourn the loss of their colleague.
"When appropriate to do so, we will return to 15 Wing Moose Jaw to plan our next steps," he says.
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Fri, Apr 26, 4:30 PM
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