Man Overboard! - HMCS Montreal - Search for missing Canadian sailor called off.

[scm77]

Member of HMCS Montreal believed overboard in Baltic Sea
Canadian, NATO ships searching for missing sailor

Canadian Press

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

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HALIFAX -- The search continues this morning in the Baltic Sea off Poland for a Canadian sailor believed to have fallen overboard during a naval exercise.

HMCS Montreal was sailing with a NATO reaction force about 50 kilometres off Poland when crew reported leading seaman Robert Leblanc could not be found, navy spokeswoman Lt.-Cmdr. Denise LaViolette said early Wednesday.

"They did an intensive search of the entire ship - all the compartments, all the various rooms - and still couldn't find him," said LaViolette. "So they put into motion the man-overboard processes, and (enacted) a search-rescue mission."

She said Leblanc may have been wearing a winter jacket, which could act as a floatation device.

Weather conditions were favourable for the search, with minimum winds and a calm sea-state, LaViolette said.

The Canadian frigate had been to sea for the past three days after a brief stop in Copenhagen.

Leblanc was last seen on deck around suppertime last night.

About a half-dozen NATO and Polish ships and two helicopters have been assigned to the search.
© The Canadian Press 2005

From Here[url]

 

[ackland]

Good luck to him and his family. God be with the Search and Rescue for a speedy and favourable recovery.

 

[big bad john]

"Oh hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea! Amen"

from the Naval Hymn

 

[x-grunt]

Search underway for missing Canadian sailor

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1107948272559_87?hub=topstories

CTV.ca News Staff
 
Updated: Wed. Feb. 9 2005 9:26 AM ET

A search continues in the Baltic Sea Wednesday for a missing Canadian sailor believed to have fallen overboard.

Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal was sailing with a NATO reaction force about 50 kilometres off the coast of Poland when crew reported that leading seaman Robert Leblanc was missing, said navy spokeswoman Lt.-Cmdr. Denise LaViolette.

"The only thing that we're certain of is the last time anybody saw leading seaman Leblanc was approximately 6:30 p.m. last night, Halifax time," LaViolette told CTV Newsnet.

Officials believe Leblanc may have fallen off the ship into the frigid waters. LaViolette said the temperature of the water is approximately two or three degrees Celsius..

When Leblanc didn't report back to his job last night, LaViolette said the crew performed a muster (or a head count) before they conducted a search of the entire ship.

They still could not find Leblanc, "so they put into motion the man-overboard processes, and (enacted) a search-and-rescue mission," said LaViolette.

"The conditions remain favourable for a search. The winds are in a very calm sea state, so we're still looking for leading seaman Leblanc."

She added that four ships from the NATO reaction force and other Polish vessels, as well as three helicopters, are taking part in the search. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Gdynia, Poland is overseeing the efforts.

If Leblanc was wearing a winter jacket, which could act as a flotation device, there is a chance he would still be alive.

The Canadian frigate had been at sea for three days before Leblanc went missing after a brief stopover in Copenhagen.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I hope he's found safe and sound but with water that cold it doesn't sound promising.

 

[x-grunt]

Miracles of survival at sea do happen occasionally, let's hope this time is one of them.

 

[Sundborg]

Hopefully he's returned safe. 

 

[JasonH]

The water is like 1c from what I've been told, he won't last long.  But then again at such cold it could help.  But if he isn't found in a day or so don't hold out on any good news.
Hope to god though I'm wrong  

 

[hugh19]

At that water temp if he did not have a heart attack and die instantly from the shock, he would have about 5 to 10 minutes in regular clothes and if he was wearing his weather jacket he would have maybe and I really mean maybe 2 hours tops. So he has most likely been dead for hours now.

 

[jmackenzie_15]

At that water temp if he did not have a heart attack and die instantly from the shock, he would have about 5 to 10 minutes in regular clothes and if he was wearing his weather jacket he would have maybe and I really mean maybe 2 hours tops. So he has most likely been dead for hours now.

This sucks.... the poor man.. im really hoping for a miracle. 

 

[Sheerin]

search has been called off.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050209.wmiss0209_2/BNStory/National/

Seach called off for sailor missing in Baltic Sea

Canadian Press 


Halifax â ”

The search was called off after 20 hours for an experienced Canadian sailor who disappeared late Tuesday from the deck of a warship in the Baltic Sea.



Leading Seaman Robert Leblanc, 24, was last seen smoking a cigarette in an enclosed deck on HMCS Montreal shortly before midnight.


Captain Dave Gardham, acting fleet commander for Maritime Forces Atlantic, said the search was called off when it became clear there was no chance of finding the sailor alive in the frigid waters off the coast of Poland.

"This was done after serious consideration of the survivability chances of someone being in the water for close to 20 hours," Capt. Gardham told a news conference in Halifax.

Montreal was sailing with a NATO force about 50 kilometres off the Polish coast when Leblanc failed to report for duty.

"They mustered all the ship's company and still couldn't find him," said Lieutenant-Commander Denise LaViolette, a navy spokeswoman in Halifax.

"They did an intensive search of the entire ship â ” all the compartments, all the various rooms â ” and still couldn't find him, so they put into motion the man-overboard processes, and (enacted) a search-and-rescue mission."

The Canadian frigate, which is based in Halifax, had been at sea for three days following a brief stop in Copenhagen.

Capt. Gardham said the frigate would head to port in Poland, where Canadian military officials would begin an investigation.

He said it wasn't known if Leblanc accidentally fell overboard. But he made it clear that was a possibility because the crew had been told to stay off the outside decks because of ice buildup.

Leblanc, an unmarried resident of Halifax, was described by navy spokeswoman Lieutenant Sue Stefko as a young but experienced sailor with several deployments under his belt.

"He's certainly not new to going to sea so we're not exactly sure how this could have happened," she said.

The missing Canadian was believed to have been wearing a winter jacket, which could act as a flotation device, but the water temperature at the time was only 1 C.

In addition to Montreal, warships from the United States, Poland and Denmark were involved in the search, as well as civilian vessels and local fishermen.

A Sea King helicopter from HMCS Montreal also helped with the search.

Commissioned in 1994, the warship left Halifax on Jan. 15 for a six-month deployment.

 

[Navalsnpr]

HMCS MONTRÉAL Searches for Missing Sailor
NPAO 09.05 - February 9, 2005

HALIFAX -- HMCS MONTRÉAL is currently conducting a search and rescue mission to locate one of the ship's sailors, Leading Seaman Robert Leblanc, 24, who was last seen onboard Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. AST.

MONTRÉAL is serving with NATOs Reaction Force Maritime Group 1, and is located approximately 30 nautical miles north of Gdynia, Poland.

The ships traveling in company with HMCS MONTRÉAL, the Danish corvette Niels Juel, the American frigate USS McInerney and the Dutch destroyer HNMS Witte de With, have joined the search . In addition, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Gdynia is overseeing the search and has tasked the Polish frigate ORP General Kazimierz Pulaski, the ASW ship ORP Kaszub, two Coast Guard vessels and a coast guard helicopter.

HMCS MONTRÉAL's Sea King is also participating in the search for the missing sailor. Weather conditions are favourable for the search and rescue operation, with minimum winds and a calm sea state.

Family members of the sailor who is missing have been notified.


Search for missing Canadian sailor called off
CTV.ca News Staff

The search for a Canadian sailor, believed to have fallen overboard HMCS Montreal during a naval exercise in the Baltic Sea, has been called off.

Captain Dave Gardham of Maritime Forces Atlantic in Halifax says it's unlikely that leading seaman Robert Leblanc survived almost 20 hours in water that was barely above freezing.

Leblanc was last seen smoking a cigarette in an enclosed deck on the ship late Tuesday night.

Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal was sailing with a NATO reaction force about 50 kilometres off the coast of Poland when crew members reported that leading seaman Leblanc was missing, said navy spokeswoman Lt.-Cmdr. Denise LaViolette.

"The only thing that we're certain of is the last time anybody saw leading seaman Leblanc was approximately 6:30 p.m. last night, Halifax time," LaViolette told CTV Newsnet.

Officials believe Leblanc may have fallen off the ship into the frigid waters. LaViolette said the temperature of the water is approximately two or three degrees Celsius.

When Leblanc didn't report back to his job last night, LaViolette said the crew performed a muster (or a head count) before they conducted a search of the entire ship.

They still could not find Leblanc, "so they put into motion the man-overboard processes, and (enacted) a search-and-rescue mission," said LaViolette.

The Canadian frigate had been at sea for three days before Leblanc went missing after a brief stopover in Copenhagen.

With files from the Canadian Press

 

[JasonH]

Damn,  :'(

Rest in peace  I'm sure you'll be sorely missed.

 

[Navalsnpr]

The last anyone reported seeing him, as the media reported, he would have been in the Port Breezeway having a smoke.

The port breezeway is an enclosed passagway from the Foscle (Front of the ship) to Top Part (the Middle of the ship) with an entrance into the ship within the breezeway. It is the only location on Halifax Class Ships to have a smoke. Most people don't wear a weather jacket out there.

 

[JasonH]

Bad time for the Canadian Navy

 

[Navalsnpr]

I just hope that for the family's sake, that the remains are eventually recovered.

 

[HollywoodHitman]

 

[Pte. Gagnon]

My uncle is an OS on the HMCS Montreal over in Europe...and yesterday a man went overboard and is missing. Leading Seaman Robert Leblanc was seen smoking a cigarette on an enclosed deck on the ship shortly after midnight. That was the last time he was seen. If you know him I give you my apologies.

 

[Roche]

Rest in peace