On 15 February 1982, the mobile offshore drilling unit "Ocean Ranger" capsized and sank in bad weather east of Newfoundland in the worst naval disaster in Canadian waters since World War II. "Bartlett" was among the vessels sent to the site and directed the surface search for the crew. Only debris, liferafts and the bodies of 22 of the 84 crew of "Ocean Ranger" were recovered. "Bartlett" was modernized in 1988 at Halifax Shipyards, Halifax, Nova Scotia which saw new propulsion and navigation equipment installed.