Wreckage of Chinook helicopter recovered from Ottawa River

A Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) helicopter and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) boat search the Ottawa River near Fort William in Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Que. on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

The Canadian Armed Forces says it's confident any contamination in the Ottawa River from a CH-147F Chinook helicopter that crashed near Petawawa last month was "negligible."

A team of military members and contracted companies used cranes and equipment to recover the wreckage of the Chinook from the river last Thursday, and transport it back to the base.

The helicopter is now at a hangar at Garrison Petawawa as the investigation continues into the crash by the Royal Canadian Air Force's Directorate of Flight Safety.

Two Royal Canadian Air Force pilots died when the helicopter crashed during a nighttime training exercise on June 20. The bodies of Capt. David Domagala and Capt. Marc Larouche were recovered from the water the next day.

In a statement, the Canadian Armed Forces said specialized absorbent response equipment was used to prevent any spread of contaminants from the immediate area.

"Assessments found that very little contaminant (fuel, lubricant, etc.) escaped the aircraft," the military said in a statement.

"In addition, surveys and sampling conducted following the accident and after the recovery, found no evidence of any environmental contamination along the riverbank or the beach. 

"The Royal Canadian Air Force is confident that any contamination from the accident and recovery was negligible."

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.