Sailor killed in blast honoured in Halifax

People lined the route from Halifax's Stanfield International Airport to CFB Halifax late Tuesday afternoon to pay their respects to a Canadian sailor killed in Afghanistan.

A motorcade carrying the remains of Petty Officer 2nd class Craig Blake travelled from the airport to the Stadacona Chapel at CFB Halifax.

Blake, 37, was from Simcoe, Ont. He served with the Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic, based in Nova Scotia.

Blake, a bomb disposal specialist, was serving his first tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was killed May 3 near Kandahar city. He was on his way back to camp after disposing of a bomb when another explosive device went off.

He was the first sailor and 143rd member of the Canadian Forces to die since the Afghan mission started in 2002.

A military memorial is being planned for later this week.