A Canadian soldier who went missing while deployed in Latvia has been found dead, the Canadian Armed Forces said on Saturday.
Warrant Officer George Hohl was located deceased on Friday, three days after he was reported missing.
The CAF said it is supporting local Latvian authorities with an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Hohl’s death, but noted that “there is no indication this incident poses an increased threat to our deployed members’ safety and security.”
The CAF said Hohl served in the armed forces for almost 20 years, and he was a vehicle technician for a helicopter squadron based in Edmonton.
He was deployed on Operation Reassurance as part of the aviation battalion to NATO’s multinational brigade in Latvia.
“The loss of Warrant Officer George Hohl has hit us all very hard,” Gen. Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff, said in a statement.
“On behalf of the entire Canadian Armed Forces, I offer my deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues. Warrant Officer Hohl will be remembered for his many years of dedicated service, and our hearts are with all who knew him during this time of great sorrow.”
There are around 2,000 CAF troops in Latvia as part of Operation Reassurance, Canada’s largest overseas mission.
Canadian troops have been there since 2017 to strengthen the defence of Europe’s eastern flank and to deter Russia from invading Baltic countries, through what many call a “trip wire.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last month that Canada will be extending its stay in Latvia through to 2029.
