A 1960s-era Canadian navy Sea King helicopter was forced to make an emergency “precautionary landing” at Cordova Spit, just north of Island View Beach, on Thursday.
“It wasn’t a crash,” said acting Sub-Lieut. Melissa Kia. “There were four people on board, their crew, with no injuries.”
The CH-124 Sea King put down about 12:30 p.m. near Mount Newton Cross Road.
It was still grounded on the spit several hours after the incident. It’s one of five Sea Kings based at 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, located at Victoria International Airport.
The Directorate of Flight Safety from Ottawa is en route to investigate, the Royal Canadian Air Force said, while a local crew was sent to make repairs.
The Central Saanich police were first at Cordova Spit on Thursday, followed by fire and ambulance services.
Deputy Chief Derren Lench said it wasn’t clear at first exactly where the helicopter had gone down, or if it was on pavement or in the water. “We went through the Tsawout reserve,” he said. “There’s a gate in advance of the spit, so the three officers stopped, jumped out, hoofed it over and found the helicopter.”
Lench said it was a good news story “in the sense they knew enough to put it down for whatever issue they were having.”
Another Sea King made an emergency precautionary landing on July 7 in a suburban cul-de-sac east of Dartmouth, N.S., due to a drop in hydraulic pressure in its flight control system.
The 443 Squadron is part of 12 Wing, based at Patricia Bay.
“It provides three helicopter air detachments … in support of the Royal Canadian Navy Pacific Fleet based in Esquimalt,” according to its website.
Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show there are 26 Sea Kings still operating with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
All were built in the 1960s.
Four Sea King helicopters are due to be written off between now and April 2016, in preparation for the arrival of CH-148 Cyclones to replace them.
In 2013, the air force approved a program “to enhance the old helicopters with modern data links, sophisticated infrared and electronic optic systems and digital sonar processors,” CP reported.
The signing of a renegotiated contract with Sikorsky for 28 CH-148 Cyclones at a cost of $7.6 billion, including servicing expenses, was announced in 2014.
The new Cyclones are slated for delivery by 2018 and set to be fully operational with combat software by 2021.
Several of the helicopters are expected to arrive in the Victoria area, but no official dates have been released.
