Posted on 08/08/2008 8:17:36 AM PDT by BGHater
The Canadian military is sending a long-range Aurora aircraft to investigate reports of a mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage that may have killed several whales.
The drama apparently began in the early-morning hours of July 31, when an Inuit hunting party at an outpost camp at Borden Peninsula on northeastern Baffin Island was alerted to the sound of an explosion, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
An Inuit member of the Canadian Rangers, a military reservist unit stationed in the far North, reported the incident, and said a hunter at the camp saw several dead whales on shore when he went over to investigate.
In a preliminary investigation, DND's Joint Task Force Northern headquarters determined there were no known vessels operating in the area, and it did not know of any activity that could have caused an explosion.
"At this point, we really have very little else to report," says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Joint Task Force in Yellowknife.
"But we will be sending an Aurora aircraft to do a flyover. The plane is currently up north in the Mackenzie Valley on a routine exercise supporting the RCMP's Operation Nunakput."
Parks Canada will also be on the scene with a boat that's being dispatched from Sirmilik National Park on Bylot Island.
Originally designed for anti-submarine warfare, the Aurora is able to detect and destroy the latest generation of stealth submarines.
But its long-range capabilities are what make it so useful to the military. It can fly for 17 hours and cover 9,266 kilometres without refuelling.
The Aurora is frequently used to search out illegal fishing, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and pollution along Canada's three coastlines.
(Excerpt) Read more at canada.com ...
Good idea, you know how there was that methane lake in Africa, the methane is held at bottom becuase of water pressure, then when shaken up, like holding your thumb over a bottle of soda before spraying your buddy with soda.
With all the water holding it down, then a few feet of ice at the surface, when it was stirred up and ignited, it would be a wonderful conflagration of fire and ice!!
Whopeeee!!!!
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UFO crashed, don’t look Ethel.
Too late - she dun been probed.
There is a sub base at King’s Bay, GA. Oh you mean the other Georgia.
“Canada bought the Auroras in the late 1970s as replacements for the Argus patrol planes.”
As a military brat, I used to love seeing the Argus at NS Roosey Roads, PR.
The roar of it’s four engines was unforgettable.
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001248
I don't suppose you know anything about this...
isolated incident ping
Mystery of Arctic explosion and dead whales likely to remain
The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, August 09, 2008 via Calgary Herald
An explosion that allegedly killed several whales in Canada’s Northwest Passage in late July will likely remain a mystery.
A Transport Canada helicopter on board the Canadian Coast Guard ship Henry Larsen did a fly over of north Baffin Island on Friday and found no sign of dead whales or an explosion, says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Department of National Defence.
Defence officials were put on alert earlier this week when an Inuit ranger camped in the area passed on a report from a civilian colleague who heard the explosion and spotted the black cloud of smoke that followed. The report to DND suggested that several whales had been killed.
DND had intended on sending a long range C-140 Aurora aircraft to the area to investigate. But since the Henry Larsen was already in the area, a helicopter was dispatched from the ship.
A government source who asked not to be identified said it is not surprising that nothing was found considering it’s been more than a week since the alleged explosion. If an explosion had occurred, he said, whatever caused it would have been long gone. Polar bears could have also eaten the carcasses of any whales that may have been killed.
Thanks for the info, but I’m trying to see if my friends actually had anything to do with the event. Blowing things up is their hobby.
HOBBY ?!?!?!?
I’m a goobermint paid perfessinal !
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