Last night a fire was extinguished aboard HMCS Toronto. The Toronto is currently undergoing FELEX upgrades in the Graving Dock at Halifax Shipyard. It is now believed a Powertool battery battery failed, causing the fire.
The fire was reported to be minor, but hard to reach, and located 3 decks down. After it was extinguished, the ship was ventilated. There was no one aboard at the time, and no reported injuries.2 people were sent to hospital as a precaution.
HMCS Toronto Sailed on schedule at 10am. Canadian warship grey was once described to me as the color of Halifax Fog. Yep. this was the best shot of the ship I got.
(Above) Firebird Sprays a salute, (below) Crew on deck for Homecoming.
HMCS Regina left Esquimalt yesterday to join Operation ARTEMIS, Canada’s contribution to the multinational effort in support of maritime security and counter-terrorism operations in the Arabian Sea region.
HMCS Regina will replace HMCS Toronto, which had been in the region from February to December 2013. During her deployment, HMCS Toronto intercepted and destroyed seven narcotics shipments totaling approximately 7.8 metric tonnes.
HMCS Toronto was announced as the next vessel to go, And sailed last January 14th. Prior to her sailing, she had a brief work period in Dec 2012. the plan was for the ship to spend the year, with her crew performing a 6 month rotation.
HMCS Toronto successfully disrupted a massive narcotics shipment in the Indian Ocean as part of counter-terrorism operations with Combined Task Force 150.
On Friday March 29, 2013, HMCS Toronto’s naval boarding party searched a suspect vessel as part of ongoing maritime security operations. During this inspection, the boarding team recovered approximately 500 kilograms of heroin with an estimated street value of more than $100 million. The narcotics were confiscated without incident and will be destroyed.
As one of sixteen Canadian Armed Forces missions currently deployed around the world, HMCS Toronto is deployed on Operation Artemis, Canada’s contribution to Combined Task Force 150, combating terrorism in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The crew of the ship is among more than 1,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and airwomen making a difference on missions both at home and abroad over this Easter long weekend at sea, in the air, and on land.
Photographs by Corporal Malcolm Byers, HMCS TORONTO via CF Operations Flickr Set
With 5 blasts of the horn, HMCS Toronto slipped her lines and backed away from jetty NB. She passed the stern of the Iroquois where she recived a salute from Vice Admiral Paul Maddison.
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement today on the deployment of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Toronto to the Arabian Sea region as part of Operation Artemis, Canada’s contribution to Combined Task Force 150.
“Today, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Toronto deploys to conduct maritime security operations with a multinational coalition fleet in the Arabian Sea region. These deployments continue our strong tradition of making meaningful contributions to international security, and maintain our long-standing relationship of cooperation and interoperability with our allies.
“I want to thank the crew – Commander David Patchell, Commanding Officer of HMCS Toronto, the 225 personnel aboard and the CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment – for their service, and wish them all fair winds and following seas.”
More on Operation Artemis can be found at http://www.cjoc.forces.gc.ca/exp/artemis/index-eng.asp
HMCS Toronto sails for the Arbian sea this morning at 10am. as of 0830, last minute preperations were well underway.
HMCS Toronto was removed from the nova dock this morning. She was undergoing a brief pre-dpeployment work period.
