Recovery efforts are currently underway in the Yukon and Ontario for debris from a pair of unidentified objects that were shot down by U.S. fighter jets on Saturday and Sunday.
Described as "," the first object was shot down over central Yukon on Feb. 11. Reportedly "," the second was brought down on Feb. 12 over Lake Huron, which sits between Michigan and Ontario. They join another mysterious object as well as a much larger suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that were shot down over the U.S. on Feb. 10 and Feb. 4, respectively. Few details have emerged about the three smaller objects.
"They can't definitively say whether they are Chinese, we don't know for certain whether they're balloons or another type of object, so there's just a great deal of mystery surrounding this right now," Vincent Rigby, former national security and intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, told CTV's Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Monday. "Until they get this information and they see the wreckage, it's going to be very, very difficult to pull the pieces together."
In Canada, the recovery efforts are being co-ordinated by Public Safety Canada and led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, with assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces in the Yukon and the Canadian Coast Guard in Ontario. Norad, the U.S. Coast Guard, the FBI, the U.S military and others are also participating in the effort.
"We've deployed significant resources here to be able to recover the object, as well as diplomatic and international engagements going on to find more information and get solutions on this," Trudeau said from the Yukon on Monday.
Several Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft are involved in the Yukon operation, including a large CC-130H Hercules search and rescue plane, two smaller CC-138 Twin Otter planes, and CH-148 Cyclone and CH-149 Cormorant helicopters. Additional support is being provided by Canadian Armed Forces personnel deployed in Whitehorse and Dawson City under the leadership of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.
"The debris is located in a remote location northeast of Dawson City, in complex alpine terrain that is prone to challenging northern weather conditions," Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand .
Additional details on the searches were provided during a technical briefing on Monday.
Sean McGillis, the acting deputy commissioner of the RCMP's federal policing program, described the challenges facing officers and military personnel in northwestern Canada, and admitted the possibility of finding nothing in the Yukon.
"We are exploring a very large area," McGillis told reporters Monday afternoon. "It is unfortunately very rugged and mountainous terrain. The weather conditions are not great. There's a very high level of snowpack in the region. So, our efforts are going to be difficult. It will be challenging. It will take us some time."
Maj.-Gen. Paul Prevost, director of staff for the Canadian military's Strategic Joint Staff, said they are using wind models to narrow down the search.
"Right now, what I've covered is our initial assessment is it's in a 3,000-square-kilometre area," he explained during the technical briefing. "So our experts are trying to narrow down this scope."
Experts in hazardous materials have also been deployed.
"We are sending out folks with explosives capability, we're sending out folks with that chemical, biological, radiological background, only because we don't know what we're dealing with," McGillis said. "In any situation like this where we're not sure what we're dealing with, you always err on the side of being overly cautious and that's why we're deploying the specialized expertise that we are."
On Lake Huron, the Canadian Coast Guard's CCGS Griffon arrived at the scene Monday with members of the RCMP onboard. The 71-metre ship carries a drone and will be assisted by a pair of coast guard helicopters stationed in Parry Sound, Ont., which is on the lake. The CCGS Samuel Risley is also heading out to help. The 70-metre light icebreaker has underwater equipment that that can aid in the search if debris is found.
While the reportedly octagonal object was shot down in U.S. airspace, the current search area on Lake Huron straddles both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.
"We’re starting on the southern part," Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joyce Murray told reporters on Monday. "And then we’ll be moving north from there. And we will do our very best to secure this material so that we can understand better what the purpose and the operations are about."
Officials at the technical briefing could not confirm reports that the object had fallen into Canadian waters. The U.S. Coast Guard is also participating, and at one point on Monday, one of their search planes was the most followed flight on website Flightradar24.
Canada's search efforts are being co-ordinated by the Government Operations Centre, which falls under the umbrella of Public Safety Canada.
"My organization provides for integrated federal response co-ordination and information sharing for the federal government for all types of emergencies as needed," Government Operations Centre director Deryck Trehearne said at the technical briefing. "We're in a search and recovery modality here."
Speaking to CNN Monday morning, Anand declined to provide details about the downed objects or their origins.
"At this point, we are not able to speculate on the precise parameters of the object from the visual that we received," Anand said. "It would be imprudent for me to speculate further at this time until we gathered the debris and until we do the analysis. The FBI is involved in that analysis, as is the RCMP here in Canada."
CTV military analyst and retired Canadian Maj.-Gen. David Fraser believes its essential that Canada and the U.S. find debris.
"For the last three days, they've been identified as objects, not even balloons, and so we really do need to recover whatever is on the ground now from these three incidents to figure out what actually happened and actually now to explain it to the citizens of what's going on," Fraser told Â鶹ӰÊÓ Channel on Monday. "Once they get them, they will be able to determine fairly quickly what was on these objects, were they a threat, and most importantly is who sent them, and then start to determine out the intent behind these. But first of all we've got to find them."
With files from CTVNews.ca Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello and CTVNews.ca Writer Michael Lee.
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by Â鶹ӰÊÓ Toronto show.
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.
A Vancouver tenant is at war with his former landlord over what he calls an exorbitant charge for bent blinds.
A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.
One week ahead of advance voting and there is no clear lead among the B.C. New Democratic Party, Conservative Party and Green Party, poll finds
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by Â鶹ӰÊÓ Toronto show.
Police forces in the Toronto area have stepped up their presence in Jewish and Muslim communities as the one-year anniversary of the deadly Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel inches closer.
A DoorDash driver who was caught on camera appearing to spit into an Ontario man’s drink has been removed from the platform, the food delivery company has confirmed.
Martha Hart, the widow of wrestler Owen Hart, is speaking out after the release of Netflix's 'Mr. McMahon' documentary series, which she says inaccurately portrays her husband's death as an accident.
Authorities say two Calgarians were arrested and charged in "a complex scheme" involving stolen vehicles.
An annual ceremony is bringing together the families and friends of missing and murdered Indigenous people in hopes of raising awareness about the issue.
The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.
There was a decrease in the amount of waste heading to the City of Ottawa's landfill in the two months leading up to the city's new three-item garbage limit.
A man is being treated for life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle while cycling in Ottawa's south-west end.
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Classes and campus activities at CEGEP de Valleyfield were cancelled Friday morning as a result of a police operation.
Public transport users who regularly use Fabre, d'Iberville and Saint-Michel stations on the Montreal metro's blue line will have to be patient, as the emergency closure of the three stations announced on Thursday evening could stretch out over 'a few days, or even a few weeks.'
Edmonton mayor, Amarjeet Sohi, discusses his Fair Compensation Project with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins.
An Edmonton hot tub repairman who was the subject of a previous Â鶹ӰÊÓ Edmonton report has been charged with fraud.
There'll be a few more leaves knocked off trees today and tomorrow as a low-pressure system makes it's way east across the province.
The federal Fisheries Department says it is concerned about a "pattern" of violence and threats toward its enforcement officers after two tense incidents off southwestern Nova Scotia last month.
A 31-year-old man is facing theft and break-in charges in connection to a vandalism incident at the Fredericton Public Library that caused tens of thousands of dollars of damages over the weekend.
A 28-year-old Nova Scotia man is facing a child pornography charge following a New Brunswick RCMP investigation.
The Opposition Tories introduced a motion to get the justice system to take another look at the case of Jordyn Reimer.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
With food waste drop-off stations to soon open in Winnipeg, residents can now begin to prepare their food scraps.
RCMP say fraudsters are continuing to ask for gas money before selling fake gold jewelry to people around Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe says if re-elected, his government would introduce a Saskatchewan Home Renovation Tax Credit aimed at making renovations more affordable.
As pressure grows on the oil and gas sector to reduce its emissions, one Calgary-based company is banking on the potential to convert waste gas from oil wells into valuable electricity for nearby communities.
Waterloo Regional Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home at 3:30 a.m.
A DoorDash driver who was caught on camera appearing to spit into an Ontario man’s drink has been removed from the platform, the food delivery company has confirmed.
The Region of Waterloo Is considering extending funding for the hybrid shelter on Erbs Road.
The mayor of Loon Lake is appealing to both provincial and federal government leaders for assistance in dealing with rising crime in the village, which has seen an increase in vandalism, theft, and property damage.
As pressure grows on the oil and gas sector to reduce its emissions, one Calgary-based company is banking on the potential to convert waste gas from oil wells into valuable electricity for nearby communities.
Staff at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital are calling for systemic changes just two days after its emergency room was more than three times above its capacity.
A motorcyclist is left with serious, life-altering injuries after a crash on Highway 11 in northern Ontario on Wednesday morning.
Two more Elliot Lake teens have been charged in connection to the break-in at the local arena last week and are accused of causing more than $50,000 in damage.
The jury has been sent to deliberate its verdict in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial Friday afternoon after lengthy instructions from the judge.
According to police, officers responded to the 600 block of Tennent Avenue for a, "report of a possible stabbing" around 9 p.m. on Thursday.
A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.
Middlesex OPP have shuttered a road between Mount Brydges and Komoka today - Amiens Drive is currently closed between Glendon Drive and Oriole Drive.
The Ministry of Labour is investigating a workplace incident that claimed the lives of two people in Georgian Bluffs, south of Owen Sound.
A Midland woman is facing several charges after police say she bit an officer while being arrested for an alleged armed confrontation.
An Orillia man faces an additional criminal charge as part of an internet child exploitation investigation that included a search of the accused's residence in June and several items confiscated as evidence.
A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.
Brian Masse, Windsor-West’s Member of Parliament (MP), stood before the House of Commons on Friday, criticizing the eased hazardous material restrictions at the Ambassador Bridge.
County Road 37 between County road 14 and Mersea road 10, was reported closed around 6:45 a.m. following a crash involving a tractor trailer and a pickup truck.
Politicians are continuing to promote their promises across British Columbia as the provincial election campaign nears its midway point.
One person is dead after a floatplane carrying three people crashed Wednesday evening in a remote inlet on British Columbia's central coast.
A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.
The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.
WestJet has changed its operations at the Lethbridge Airport, and it means there's now only a single daily flight from Lethbridge to Calgary, down from three flights a day, as offered previously.
Archie's Exotic Pet Rescue has been open about six years and, like many other animal rescues, it has seen a surge in surrenders.
It’s almost deadline day for Lethbridge residents interested in becoming members of one of the city’s boards, commissions and committees (BCCs).
An outfitter in Kenora, Ont., and two individuals have been fined a total of $9,500 for bear hunting offences, including abandoning a bear they shot and using it as bait to hunt another bear.
Two more Elliot Lake teens have been charged in connection to the break-in at the local arena last week and are accused of causing more than $50,000 in damage.
The jury has been sent to deliberate its verdict in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial Friday afternoon after lengthy instructions from the judge.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to announce funding to support French-speaking African countries and initiatives to promote the French language in the Francophonie.
Defence Minister Bill Blair says Israel has the right to defend itself in 'a calibrated and proportional way' following Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on Tuesday.
A federal inquiry into foreign interference plans to hear from senior Global Affairs Canada officials Friday.
When an Ontario doctor refused to sign off on a mammogram for 38-year-old Sidra Lone, the mother of four says she was left with no choice but to lie.
Staff at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital are calling for systemic changes just two days after its emergency room was more than three times above its capacity.
An Ontario child has died after coming in contact with a rabid bat, a health official confirmed on Wednesday.
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Alphabet's Google is testing showing check marks next to certain companies on its search results, a company spokesperson said on Friday, in a move aimed at helping users identify verified sources and steer clear of fake websites.
A hacking group tied to Russian intelligence tried to worm its way into the systems of dozens of western think tanks, journalists and former military and intelligence officials, Microsoft and U.S. authorities said Thursday.
The jury has been sent to deliberate its verdict in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial Friday afternoon after lengthy instructions from the judge.
Legendary singer Paul Simon has said he is 'optimistic' about being able to return to performing live after losing most of his hearing in his left ear.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
Canada's airlines have failed in their challenge of air passenger protection rules that the federal government implemented in 2019.
The Competition Bureau says it's obtained a court order as part of an investigation into potential anti-competitive conduct by the Canadian Real Estate Association.
The Vatican Bank has fired two employees whose recent wedding violates a newly-introduced ban on marriages between staff.
A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.
Toilet paper shortages in stores across America are giving folks nightmarish reminders of the pandemic era. But the lack of toilet paper isn’t a direct result of a major port strike Tuesday. It’s because of panic buying.
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
Caitlin Clark has been named the WNBA Rookie of the Year in a near-unanimous vote, giving the Indiana Fever back-to-back winners after Aliyah Boston won the honour last season.
Days after being suspended by FIFA, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced heroics in front of the watching Prince William as Aston Villa sealed another famous win against Bayern Munich.
The claim to Shohei Ohtani's potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball.
Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹ӰÊÓ. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
