2 Royal Canadian Navy members charged in death of sailor Gregory Applin

The Royal Canadian Navy says two of its members have been charged in connection with the death of Petty Officer Second Class Gregory Applin.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Navy said it learned earlier in the day that charges had been laid, calling the news “difficult” and emphasizing that the case will now move through a fair, independent and impartial process.

The service did not specify the charges or name the accused, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.

Applin died in 2025 during a training incident involving a small naval vessel in Halifax Harbour. According to previous reporting, the boat capsized during an exercise, throwing several sailors into the water. Applin was pulled from the harbour and later died in hospital.

Military police launched an investigation shortly afterward, examining whether procedural failures, equipment issues or human error contributed to the fatality.

While the Navy did not reference the circumstances of the incident in its statement, it acknowledged that tragedies of this nature rarely stem from a single mistake.

“An incident like this almost never results from a single cause or single error,” the statement read. “It is most likely the outcome of a combination of factors.”

The Navy also acknowledged the emotional toll of Applin’s death, urging members to honour his memory by recommitting to the highest standards of naval service and ensuring that “every sailor returns home safely.”