Five missing CAF crew members presumed dead

As of Friday afternoon, only Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough of Nova Scotia has been confirmed dead. Five CAF members remain missing, and they are now presumed dead.

Rear Admiral Craig Baines stated that "Col. James Hawthorne and I cannot begin to express the depth of our sadness that something like this has occurred to our shipmates."

"To the families, friends and loved one of all six members who were on board the helicopter, we wish to express our deepest sympathies."

Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan offered his sympathies to the families of those who have been lost.

While additional remains have been discovered, according to Baines during a Friday afternoon conference, they are yet to be identified.

“We will be doing everything possible in the days ahead to identify these remains,” he said. “This most likely will not occur until they are returned to Canada.”

The remaining, missing members of the CAF are:

Capt. Brenden Ian MacDonald, a pilot, originally from New Glasgow, NS.

Capt. Kevin Hagen, a pilot, originally from Nanaimo, BC.

Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin, an air combat systems officer, Trois-Rivières, Que.

Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke, a naval weapons officer, Truro, NS.

Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins, an airborne electronic sensor operator, Guelph, Ont.

Of the decision to transition from search and rescue to recovery, Bains said “We are certain that if there were survivors, we would have found them within the past 48 hours.”