Kyle Sinclair, Canadian soldier, dies in Petawawa incident
A Canadian soldier has died after what Prime Minister Stephen Harper called an “unfortunate incident” at an Ontario military base.
Craftsman Kyle Sinclair, 27, succumbed to his injuries on Friday after the incident at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, according to a statement from the Department of National Defence.
Commander of the Canadian Army Lt.-Gen. Marquis Hainse wrote that Sinclair passed “surrounded by family and friends moments before midnight” in a written statement. Earlier Saturday, Defence Minister Rob Nicholson mistakenly said Sinclair died Thursday.
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"On behalf of all Canadians, Laureen and I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Craftsman Kyle Sinclair," Harper said in his own statement released Saturday.
"This incident is another painful reminder of the sacrifice that our brave men and women in uniform face daily in the defence of our nation’s freedoms and liberties, both at home and abroad."
Sinclair, who was a member of the 2 Service Battalion, was on a training program with The Royal Canadian Dragoons at the time of the incident. According to Canadian Forces spokesman Lt. Jean-Francois Carpentier, Sinclair joined the military in 2012.
Defence Minister Nicholson called it a "tragic event" in a written statement.
"The loss of any member of the Canadian Armed Forces is tragic," the statement read. "An investigation will be conducted into the circumstances surrounding this incident to ensure that every precaution is taken to protect the safety and security of our soldiers."
The Department of National Defence said it will not be releasing any further information about the circumstances of the incident because the matter is under investigation.
