Canadian Armed Forces clearance divers participate in unexploded ordnance disposal operation

May 13, 2016

News Release

Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Eleven Canadian Armed Forces clearance divers and support personnel began their participation in Operation OPEN SPIRIT 2016 on May 13 in Lithuania.

These members of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) from Halifax, Nova Scotia, will work alongside personnel from the Lithuanian Naval Flotilla and 12 other partner nations until May 27, 2016, in order to clear explosive remnants of the First and Second World Wars in the Baltic Sea.

Operation OPEN SPIRIT is a multinational naval mine clearance and ordnance disposal operation conducted on an annual basis since 1997. This mission aims to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance throughout the Baltic Sea region, including seabed communications lines, international shipping routes, and fishing areas.

Full press release:

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2017/08/canadian_armed_forcesclearancediversparticipateinunexplodedordna.html

French version:

https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2017/08/des_plongeurs-demineursdesforcesarmeescanadiennesontprispartaune.html