Don’t be alarmed if you spot low-flying military aircraft in the skies over parts of Southwestern Ontario this week.
A CC-130H Hercules aircraft and a CH-146 Griffon helicopter will be flying around St. Thomas and Lake Erie as part of search-and-rescue training running all week until Friday, the OPP said.
Boats from the Canadian Coast Guard and aircraft from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association will also be involved in the five-day training.
“This type of exercise helps prepare teams to respond to distress calls that often save lives,” the OPP said.
“Training for these missions is essential for maintaining the skill of aircrews, so they are ready to safely execute their missions alongside search and rescue partners.”
Crews from the 424 Squadron at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton are kept on standby to respond to marine distress calls, such as those involving swimmers and boaters in the Great Lakes that border Southwestern Ontario, from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
Aircraft performing search-and-rescue activities, including training runs, need to fly low to spot individuals in need of assistance and will travel at slower speeds, often circling an area multiple times, police said in the warning to the public.
“All efforts will be made to minimize disruption to the community,” police said, adding that Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilots and crews follow strict safety rules and regulations at all times.
The Hercules, a military transport aircraft designed by Lockheed, was a familiar sight over the skies of London on Saturday.
Around 1,200 air cadets from across southern Ontario descended on the London International Airport to fly aboard one of two Hercules as part of an event to give the youngsters an up-close look at the RCAF and promote careers in the Canadian Armed Forces.
The military transports flew 18 flights over the course of the day, navy lieutenant Terri-Leigh Saunders said.
This week’s training comes less than two months after police issued a similar alert about tactical armored patrol vehicles, multi-purpose combat vehicles used to conduct surveillance and carry troops and equipment, traveling through Southwestern Ontario as part of a four-day training exercise in late -February.