A medical technician aboard HMCS Athabaskan scans the Haiti coastline. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

Haiti was hit by a 5.9-magnitude aftershock Wednesday, adding to the challenges already faced by Canadian sailors working to help in two coastal communities.

Sailors aboard HMCS Athabaskan made their way to shore shortly after the early morning quake to continue their relief efforts, said CBC reporter Rob Gordon, who is aboard the ship.

The Canadian destroyer is anchored about 1.5 kilometres off the coast near Léogâne, a small city at the epicentre of last week's devastating quake. Teams of sailors are going ashore to help with the relief effort.

Gordon said the Canadian sailors were helping three medical teams that are set up in Léogâne, from Canada, Argentina and Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization.

“It was quite a busy day, not unlike Tuesday,” Gordon said. “The captain warned them that there would perhaps be more fear in town … and they would have to be on guard for that.

“There are reports of new injuries and perhaps even some new deaths inside the town because of the earthquake.”

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter praised the sailors’ efforts on Wednesday.

“They were home the night before they shipped out. They were literally packing their kit bags with everything they could find from their own homes… so that they could lend their own personal support to the work that they’re doing,” he said.

“For many of them it’s not just a job. It’s where they want to be, it’s what they want to be doing. So I’m very proud of them.”

Gordon said it was quiet on the ship when the aftershock hit Wednesday at 6 a.m. local time.

"All of a sudden it felt like we ran aground. The ship shuddered. There was a loud noise. You could feel it through the entire ship. And that was followed by a series of other noises and vibrations," he said.

At first, the crew rushed around the ship, unsure of what had happened. No one was injured and there was no damage to the ship, Gordon said.

The Athabaskan left Halifax last Thursday, along with the frigate HMCS Halifax. That ship is off Jacmel, about 30 kilometres southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital.

More troops on the way

The sailors are among 1,000 Canadian Forces members in Haiti, primarily in the Léogâne and Jacmel areas. More Canadian Forces personnel are on the way, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday.

MacKay said the teams in Jacmel have been clearing debris near the jetty and the surrounding town so aid can get through. He said 80 to 90 per cent of the area had been destroyed in the 7.0-magnitude quake on Jan. 12.

MacKay said crews are also getting the airstrip back in order, ensuring aid gets in faster and relief teams can avoid congestion at the airport in Port-au-Prince.

"This is a tragedy of unspeakable proportions," he said. "Canada and the Canadian Forces want to be there, want to assist in whatever ways possible as part of this international response."

Wednesday’s aftershock led to more deaths, damaged several buildings and sent people from the nation's capital fleeing into the streets.

The country has been hit by a series of aftershocks since last week's 7.0-magnitude quake that has killed at least 200,000 people, but Wednesday's aftershock has been the strongest.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the latest quake was centred 56 kilometres northwest of Port-au-Prince and was 22 kilometres below the surface.