It’s now become known that a Canadian Armed Forces passenger jet with troops headed to the NATO mission in Latvia was tuned around mid-flight last week.
The CC-150 Polaris was carrying some 70 soldiers and crew when it was discovered that someone who tested positive for the virus may have come into contact with the aircraft and passengers before it took off on July 2 from the Trenton Ontario military airbase. The individual was not on board the plane.
All the personnel deployed on the mission had just spent 14 days in quarantine prior to the flight in order to ensure they were all COVID free and could not spread the respiratory ailment among other troops or into Latvia.
While the military says the risk of infection is very low, they won’t take chances. A military spokesperson said in a statement “ “The health and well-being of our members and that of our allies and partners in Latvia is a priority. As such, the decision was made to return the aircraft en route — rather than land in Latvia — to avoid the possible risk of spreading the disease.”.
TAn RCAF Airbus CC-150 Polaris in Canadian Forces grey livery was on route to Latvia with several dozen replacement troops when it had to turn back mid-flight over a possible incident involving COVID-19. The government is now looking into other resources to bring back the troops who were to come back on the return flight. (RCAF)
Canada has been involved in the mission in Latvia since 2017 and currently leads the multinational force there of some 1,500 troops. The Latvia battlegroup is one of four which were established after Russia annexed the Crimea and created concern about possible expansionist plans elsewhere in the Baltics or Eastern Europe. Other battlegroups are located in Poland, Estonia and Lithuania..
The pandemic resulted in several Canadian overseas missions being postponed or cancelled outright, The Latvian mission however continued, but the regular rotation of personnel was delayed. It was now deemed that following strict precautions, it was safe enough to begin bringing in fresh replacement troops.
Of the 540 Canadian soldiers in theatre, the group which had been heading over was to allow the rotation of about 70 troops who were scheduled to come back to Canada on the return flight. The soldiers aboard the plane will now undergo another 14 days of quarantine at the Trenton base before redeployment to Latvia.
The Canadian military is now looking at other means to bring the 70 soldiers in theatre who were due to return.
A different group of soldiers heading to the mission in the Middle East as part Op Impact and a rotation of Canadian personnel there was not affected. The multinational force in Syria and Iraq is fighting against ISIL (DAESH) terrorists.
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