HMCS Protecteur towed into home port in Esquimalt, B.C.
Canadian supply ship damaged by 2 fires in February departed Hawaii's Pearl Harbor May 15
The Canadian naval warship damaged by fire while at sea in February has returned to its home port in B.C.
HMCS Protecteur was brought into Esquimalt Harbour by several tugboats on Saturday morning.
The crippled supply ship was towed to Hawaii's Pearl Harbour after the Feb. 27 engine room fire and remained there until two weeks ago. It was then towed back to Canada by the U.S. naval salvage ship Salnor.
- HMCS Protecteur too badly damaged to sail home on her own
- More: HMCS Protecteur crew fought engine fire for 11 hours
The Royal Canadian Navy isn't saying how much damage was done to HMCS Protecteur, but sources say it's unlikely the vessel will be made seaworthy again.
The ship is slated for replacement in 2019 and it's not known whether a supply ship will be leased from another navy for the interim, nor is it known what the ship's 279-member crew will be doing for the foreseeable future.
No one from the Royal Canadian Navy would agree to be interviewed about the impact the loss of the supply ship will have on marine military operations on the West Coast.
With files from the CBC's Lisa Cordasco