The body of a Canadian search-and-rescue technician who died during a rescue operation in Nunavut is expected to arrive in Ontario Saturday afternoon.
Sgt. Janick Gilbert, 34, from Baie-Comeau, Que., died Thursday night during a mission near Igloolik, Nunavut, where Gilbert and two other soldiers parachuted into the cold waters to rescue two boaters.
Gilbert’s body will arrive at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ont., at 3 p.m. The ceremony will be attended by Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk, as well as the head of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lt.-Gen. Andre Deschamps.
Gilbert was married with children, though officials were not releasing any further information about his family.
“On behalf of the Defence family and our brave men and women in uniform, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and comrades of Sgt. Janick Gilbert, who died yesterday in Nunavut,” Deschamps said in a statement Friday.
“He lost his life in the service of his country while unselfishly answering the call for help.”
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The incident is under investigation.
Capt. Jennifer Jones, a CFB Trenton-based spokeswoman for the military, said Gilbert was part of a team that left Trenton on a Hercules aircraft Thursday morning in response to a call that came in about two boaters stranded near Baffin Island the previous night.
Once the boaters were located, a radio was dropped to them by the rescue crew. In a statement, Col. Sean Friday, commander of 8 Wing Trenton, said that when it was determined the condition of one of the boaters was deteriorating and communications broke off, the three technicians parachuted down. It was then that Gilbert lost his life.
The three members of the rescue team and the two boaters were transported by a helicopter – flown in from Gander, N.L. – to a medical facility in Igloolik.
She said the boaters suffered minor injuries.
Friday said that Gilbert will be remembered as a family man and consummate professional.
“A brilliant operator with thirteen years of experience, Sgt. Gilbert will be sorely missed by all within the SAR Tech trade and by all those who have had the pleasure of making his acquaintance,” Friday said in a statement. “His laughter and ‘joie de vive’ are only some of the many positive attributes that were so cherished by those who knew him.
“Janick lived by what the SAR community believes in and exemplified the meaning of rescue; he gave his life (so) ‘that others may live.'”
Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered his condolences to the soldier’s family, friends and colleagues in a statement Friday.
“The Canadian Armed Forces’ search-and-rescue technicians are some of the best trained in the world, and have saved thousands of lives nationwide,” the prime minister said.
“Sgt. Gilbert was an extremely brave Canadian who made the ultimate sacrifice while proudly serving his country.”
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