Ships damaged during tow-ex

HMCS Algonquin damage

HMCS Algonquin sustained significant damage to its hangar during a tow exercise with HMCS Protecteur.

On Friday, Aug. 30, at approximately 11 a.m. PST, HMC Ships Algonquin and Protecteur collided at sea while conducting exercise manoeuvres en route to Hawaii.

Algonquin sustained significant damage to the hangar on her port side while Protecteur sustained damage of a lesser degree to her bow.

There were no reported injuries, and both ships have returned to their home port of CFB Esquimalt.

The full details of the incident are not yet known but a thorough and rigorous damage assessment has commenced.  The goal is to get both ships back to sea as soon as possible.

A Board of Inquiry will be convened to further investigate the incident and circumstances surrounding it, and will make recommendations as to how to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future.

The ships were conducting a towing exercise where Algonquin was required to make a close approach to Protecteur in order to pass the necessary gear to take her under tow, simulating a loss of propulsion onboard Protecteur.

This activity was being conducted as it is a routine training exercise. RCN ships may be called upon at anytime to conduct this evolution in any environment to aid a stricken vessel.

This training exercise is necessary so ships are prepared to respond to an emergency at sea in any environment.  

Most navies maintain an ability to take another vessel under tow.

-MARPAC PAO

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