First victim of military helicopter crash off the Greek coast identified

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has expressed his condolences after a Canadian military helicopter crashed off the coast of Greece on Wednesday during a routine training mission.

“I express my grief over the crash of the Canadian helicopter in the Ionian Sea last night,” Mitsotakis said in Parliament on Thursday. He said he would contact Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to express his government's condolences.

A Greek navy helicopter took part in the search for the helicopter that went missing on Wednesday night. The effort was coordinated by Italian authorities.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday announced that one body was recovered and five others are still missing.

"All of them are heroes. Each of them will leave a void that cannot be filled," he said.

The PM was joined by Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance who said they had confirmed the death of one sailor, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough of Nova Scotia.

“This is a time of agony for all families, friends and fellow crew members. There is nothing worse than sending your shipmates over the horizon and losing contact,” he said.

The Canadian Armed Forces also confirmed the identities of the five missing crew members:

• Capt. Brenden Ian MacDonald from New Glasgow, N.S.
• Capt. Kevin Hagen from Nanaimo, B.C.
• Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin, from Trois-Rivieres, Que.
• Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke from Truro, N.S.
• Master Corp. Matthew Cousins from Guelph, Ont.

Military members on HMCS Fredericton, along with NATO allies, are continuing to search for the other five members of the helicopter's crew.