There are reports of an explosion in the skies over Mossbank – close to the Air Force base in Moose Jaw. Eyewitnesses think it was a Tudor training jet, and possible mid air-collision. A news conference has been announced for this afternoon.
It sounds like the best that can be hoped for is a safe ejection, but with the delay in news from the base, it’s not hopeful. One would think that if pilots got out safely, they’d be quick to assure people of that.
update 15 Wing Moose Jaw has confirmed that two Snowbirds jets have collided.
Co-incidentally, it is 6 years to the day since a Snowbird crash claimed the life of Captain Michael VandenBos at the same base.
update – noonhour – Eyewitness says she saw one parachute. DND is reporting both pilots ejected, uncertain of fate of either. What? Are they still out on Skidoo’s looking for them? It happened two hours ago.
update – DND is reporting that Capt. Miles Selby, 31, of Tsawwassen, B.C. is confirmed dead, the other, Capt. Chuck Mallett, 35, of Edmonton is in hospital with minor injuries. Details here.
From the article:
Safe aircraft or not, they deserve better. Looked at from the USA, it appears that Canada has a 3rd rate military because of a combination of 1st rate military people and 10th rate government support. As an American I would like our allies, like Canada, to have as good a military as possible. As a person who understands the pride that comes with doing things well, good military people deserve a government that stands behind their dedication and skill.
Canada took its own beach on D-Day. The kind of people responsible for that remarkable accomplishment are still in the Canadian military, see, for example, the snipers or the special operations group that got the US Bronze Star. They just need the right support from the population and from the government. Even when you are the USA, it is good to have allies that can kick some ass.
Thanks for the vote of confidence Joe for our airmen, soldiers, and sailors. Many think that it would be cost effective for the US to just equip the Canadian Forces, sort of your own foreign legion. Sort of like lend/lease with the Brits in WW2
We’re finding out today (Dec.13) that there is no air rescue at 15 Wing. Defense budget cuts, of course. Unbelievable. It took over 40 minutes for rescue to reach the crash site. A more seriously injured pilot could easily have died waiting.