Two navy military members facing charges in relation to death of petty officer

Two members of the Royal Canadian Navy are facing charges in relation to the death of Petty Officer Second Class Gregoy Applin in January 2025.

The Canadian Forces Military Police say charges for the first suspect who is a Master Sailor include criminal negligence causing bodily harm and negligent performance of military duties.

The second suspect, a Sailor First Class, includes dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death and negligent performance of military duties.

It was at night during small boat operations in the Bedford Basin in Halifax, Nova Scotia when the inflatable boat Applin was in capsized.

The 38-year-old was sent to hospital but did not survive.

In a statement the Commander and Command Chief of the Navy say it likely very difficult news for everyone, and it highlights “challenging realities” of our service. 

“We operate in a demanding environment where mistakes are errors can have fatal consequences and we must be accountable for our actions and our inactions,” says the statement.

There will be a process to determine the outcome, which the statement says will be “fair, independent and impartial”. 

“We are also extremely mindful that an incident like this almost never results from a single cause or single error, and it is most likely the outcome of a combination of factors,” reads the statement.

“The loss of one of our own weighs heavily on us all. Let us honour Petty Officer Applin’s memory by committing ourselves to the highest ideals of naval service and ensuring that every sailor returns home safely,” say the Chiefs. 

More to come…