Nova Scotia, Canada, played host to a solemn gathering of Canadian military veterans, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers, and first responders on the 25th anniversary of Canada’s military response to the tragic crash of Swissair Flight 111.
On September 2, 1998, the MD-11 passenger jet, en route from New York to Geneva, Switzerland, tragically plummeted into the waters near Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, claiming the lives of all 229 individuals on board.
Leading the delegation on this significant occasion, Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor presided over a commemorative ceremony held at the Peggy’s Cove Swissair Memorial in Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia. The ceremony served as a poignant recognition of the invaluable contribution made by the Canadian military during the recovery efforts, an undertaking known as Operation Persistence.
In attendance were also family members of some of the crash victims, who came to pay their respects and remember their loved ones who perished in the tragedy.
Minister Petitpas Taylor had previously led a candlelight tribute at the Bayswater Memorial on the evening of the preceding Saturday, further underscoring the significance of this somber anniversary.
The commemoration serves as a poignant reminder of the profound impact that such tragic events can have on individuals, families, and communities, and underscores the importance of honoring the memory of those who lost their lives in the Swissair Flight 111 crash.