Member of Canadian Forces found dead at CFB Esquimalt

A member of the Canadian Forces has been found dead at CFB Esquimalt.

Canadian Forces Capt. Joanna Labonte, confirmed military police were told about a body found in a home on the base Tuesday morning.

Chief Petty Officer Second Class Gilles Duquette, was a member of the administration section at CFB Esquimalt. His body was discovered after he failed to report for duty.

Canadian Forces National Investigation Service has taken over the investigation, along with the BC Coroners Service.

Labonte says the death does not appear to be suspicious, but the coroner still has to determine the cause of death.

Duquette, 54, was a member of the Regular Force posted to the Base Administration section of CFB Esquimalt. A senior non-commissioned officer with 29 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, he had been posted to his current position since March 2013. During his 29 years of service CPO2 Duquette has served on-board Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Kootenay, Annapolis, Vancouver, Huron, Calgary, Ottawa, and Winnipeg.

A veteran of two operational deployments, Duquette deployed to Syria in 1989 on a United Nations’ mission and Bahrain with Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Vancouver as part of Task Force South-West Asia in 2002.