St. John's council defers debate on search and rescue coverage

A St. John's councillor who had wanted a public debate on search and rescue resources in the city has agreed to a postponement until the mourning has ended for those killed in last week's offshore helicopter crash.

Coun. Tom Hann wants council to endorse a campaign to install a permanent search and rescue presence in St. John's, in light of the crash last Thursday that claimed the lives of 17 of the 18 people aboard a Cougar Helicopters aircraft.

But, before Tuesday evening's council meeting, fellow councillors asked Hann to delay his motion.

"Yes, there is a need for a search and rescue unit, an additional search and rescue unit, but it is a complicated issue and they wanted it deferred until staff take a closer look at it," Hann said.

"There was some discussion as well that maybe it should, in deference to the families … be discussed two or three weeks down the road, after the period of mourning is done," Hann said.

A royal commission that studied the 1982 sinking of the Ocean Ranger drilling rig, in which 84 people were killed, recommended putting a search and rescue team in St. John's that would provide 24-hour coverage of the then-developing industry.

Since then, three fields have gone into full production. Search and rescue services involving Cormorants are provided largely through Gander, but when the Sikorsky S-92 crashed on March 12, Cormorant units from Newfoundland and Labrador were conducting training exercises in Cape Breton. Officials said that added an extra hour to flight time to the crash scene, about 55 kilometres southeast of St. John's.

Hann said he did not want to see search and rescue resources diminished in either Gander or Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where the base has three Griffon helicopters.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Tuesday that a debate on resources in the province should wait until after a memorial to the crash victims.

MacKay, as well as Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Danny Williams, will be attending a multi-faith service in St. John's on Wednesday evening.

At Tuesday's meeting, councillors honoured the dead with a moment of silence.

Early Tuesday morning, the final seven bodies that had been recovered from the Cougar's fuselage were brought to St. John's, and to the care of the provincial medical examiner's office.

Following the council meeting, Coun. Keith Coombs said a delay would help in a couple of ways.

"The period of mourning will be two weeks older, but also will give an opportunity I'm sure for him and others to see what reports come out and what the actual facts of the matter are, because obviously there's a lot of emotion tied to this," said Coombs.

Hann said he expects to introduce his motion in two or three weeks.