Media Room: Defence Alert

Defence
ALERT

EVENT: Members of 2 Health Support Battalion departing Brisbane to provide critical medical assistance in Sumatra.

WHEN: 9.15am Thursday 31 March 2005

WHERE: International Departure Lounge – Brisbane Airport.

A Royal Australian Air Force 707 transport aircraft will depart from Australia today (Thurs 31 Mar 05) bound for Jakarta with an Australian Defence Force medical team embarked to provide aid to the people of Sumatra following Tuesday’s earthquake.

The B707 will replace a C-130 Hercules aircraft previously scheduled to fly the medical team into Indonesia.

The medical team will be able to provide surgery, intensive care, X-Ray, pathology and post-operative care.

Upon arriving in Indonesia the medical team will transfer to HMAS KANIMBLA by the ship’s Sea King helicopters and join ten medical personnel already on board.

HMAS KANIMBLA, an amphibious transport ship, is steaming towards the disaster area to provide assistance to the earthquake victims having been diverted from Singapore en route to Australia.

Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence,
Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999
Fax: 02 6265 6946
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