The Royal Canadian Navy has identified the sailor who tragically died on Friday after a small military boat capsized at the north end of Halifax Harbour.
Commodore Jacob French, the commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic, confirmed on Monday that Petty Officer 2nd Class Gregory Applin, a 38-year-old from Shoal Cove West, N.L., was one of two sailors thrown into the frigid waters around 10 p.m. that evening.
While the second sailor, whose identity has not been released, survived the ordeal, Applin could not be revived at the hospital. “This is a tragic moment for us, tragic for the entire Navy family,” French said at a news conference outside Admiral’s Gate, near the Halifax waterfront. A military investigation will now determine the cause of the incident, though the French declined to speculate on what went wrong.
Applin, a weapons engineering technician aboard HMCS Montreal, was part of a team that had just completed sonar performance trials in the harbour. Shortly afterwards, a special operations rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB) was dispatched to transport personnel to shore, approximately 1.6 kilometres away.
The water temperature at the time was just above freezing, with outdoor temperatures around -7°C and wind chill reaching -10°C. Despite waves being less than a meter high, conditions were still perilous.
The boat capsized after dropping its passengers at the Mill Cove jetty on the northwestern side of Bedford Basin. French explained that the sailor driving the seven-meter craft was a small boat coxswain from Naval Fleet School Atlantic, with extensive experience operating such boats.
After the incident, neither sailor was likely able to reach the boat’s VHF radio. The coxswain, however, used a cellphone to call 911, prompting a rapid response from the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax, which dispatched a harbour pilot boat for rescue.
The two sailors were rescued and taken to the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, where they were met by paramedics. The coxswain was discharged from the hospital the following morning, while Applin was pronounced dead after efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
French acknowledged that while nighttime transfers are routine for the Navy, “there is no reason to believe there is anything unsafe technically about the RIBs.”
The Canadian Forces National Investigations Service will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, a process typically taking between three to six months, French noted.
“At this time, the family of Gregory Applin is experiencing a painful loss,” he said. “We are, all of us, profoundly saddened by the loss of Gregory and are doing our utmost to support the family and loved ones through this extremely difficult time.”
Applin had dedicated 19 years of service to the Royal Canadian Navy, and his passing has left the Navy community mourning the loss of a valued member. Gregory Applin Funeral Arrangements
