Mar 17, 2026 · 1h 13m
Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson were part of the crew that helped rescue all 20 sailors from the grounded cargo ship MSC Baltic III during one of the most dramatic search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history. Before the mayday call, the winter storm, and the race against time off Newfoundland's west coast, there were years of training, operational experience, and lessons learned that prepared them for that moment. Join us as Pete and Greg share their paths into the Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue community, the challenges of becoming a CH-149 Cormorant pilot and SAR Tech, the importance of crew trust, leadership, mental resilience, and the realities of responding when people are having the worst day of their lives. This episode sets the stage for the MSC Baltic III rescue and provides a behind-the-scenes look at the people, training, and culture that make Canada's SAR community possible. CONTINUE THE FLIGHT In Part 2, Pete Wright and Greg Hudson walk through the initial mayday call through their transit on-scene in a brutal winter storm and seeing that the ship was already aground. https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-2-pete-wright-and-greg-hudson In Part 3, Pete and Greg take listeners through the rescue itself, including the decision to evacuate all 20 sailors, the hoisting operation, and the lessons learned from one of the most remarkable SAR missions in recent Canadian history. https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes/sar-the-msc-baltic-iii-part-3-pete-wright-and-greg-hudson HEAR MORE SAR EPISODES https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/search?query=sar EXPLORE THE LOGBOOK More stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilots https://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodes