Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 20, 2013
• Invested on: December 05, 2013

Sergeant Stéphane Lionel Clavette, M.B., C.D.
Sergeant Michael Edgar Cox, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery

On February 11, 2011, sergeants Michael Cox and Stéphane Clavette rescued a man who had suffered a heart attack onboard a fishing vessel off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hampered by darkness and harsh weather conditions, the search and rescue technicians were carefully lowered from a helicopter onto the vessel, which was being tossed about in the rough seas. The victim was secured in a rescue basket, but the deck of the fishing boat was so icy and unstable that they had difficulty keeping the basket steady for extraction. Finally the victim was hoisted up to the aircraft, and another cable was lowered to the deck to retrieve the two rescuers. Sergeant Clavette attached himself to the cable, but at that moment, the boat was rocked by a large wave. He was able to unhook just before the cable was ripped from his hand. Another cable was lowered and, with great difficulty, the rescuers were lifted one at a time to safety.