The Queen of Cowichan wasn’t in real danger, but the Canadian Armed Forces made sure the ferry arrived safe and sound, anyway.
The military successfully carried out a training operation on the Strait of Georgia on Tuesday. A rendezvous at sea involving the ferry, the HMCS Brandon maritime coastal defence vessel and a CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft was part of Exercise Ready Angle 17, an annual drill to maintain Canadian Armed Forces’ preparedness. The exercise, under the direction of Global Affairs Canada, was meant to mimic a hostile situation abroad.
“After several days of intense effort, military reconnaissance teams with their GAC partners located and safely transported Canadians to processing centres,” noted Capt. Jeff Manney, a public affairs officer with the Department of National Defence, in a press release.
As part of the exercise, a security team from the third battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry oversaw the busing and ferrying of civilians.
“As pirates had begun operating in the area, the HMCS Brandon escorted the ship, their path ahead proved safe by an orbiting Aurora providing aerial surveillance,” Manney said.
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