Families of military members killed in 2020 Cyclone helicopter crash sue manufacturer

The families of the six Canadian Armed Forces members who were killed when a Cyclone helicopter crashed off the coast of Greece in April 2020 are suing the manufacturer.

The families of the six Canadian Armed Forces members who were killed when a Cyclone helicopter crashed off the coast of Greece in April 2020 are suing the manufacturer.

The suit was filed in U.S. Federal Court on July 10 in Pennsylvania, where the Sikorsky CH-148 helicopters were made and tested.

Lawyers representing the families said a design flaw caused the electronic flight control system to take over control of the chopper, plunging it into the Ionian Sea nose-first.

Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, Capt. Kevin Hagen, Capt. Brenden MacDonald, Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin and Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke died in the crash.

A statement of claim says all six people on board knew they were going to die in the moments before the crash and experienced "unimaginable terror and fright."

"Reflecting a corporate indifference to safety that placed profits first, the Sikorsky defendants -- in the face of missed deadlines and financial penalties -- cut corners to rush the CH-148 into service," the claim says.