Media Room: Media Releases

Sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen will return home today after their tireless work on the devastated Nias Island in Indonesia. Two RAAF aircraft bringing home 71 personnel will arrive in Richmond and Brisbane, carrying a majority of medical personnel.

A C130 Hercules will bring home 16 Air Force personnel to Richmond RAAF Base at 8pm today. While another 55 sailors, soldiers and airmen will return to Brisbane International Airport on a RAAF Boeing 707, touching down just after 7pm.

The C130 Hercules was one of two C130 aircraft deployed to Indonesia on 30 March 2005 for emergency disaster relief operations.

The majority of members aboard the Boeing 707 are medical staff who worked tirelessly on HMAS Kanimbla within the Primary Casualty Reception Facility. This group was orgmented with full time and reserve members of the Navy, Army and Air Force.

These medical parties went ashore to provide treatment to the ill and injured and assess those requiring further attention. They transferred several people to the ships medical facility where they provided emergency treatment and life saving surgical operations.

The 2^nd Health Support Battalion will be welcoming home 28 Army personnel today. Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ian Spiers said the team performed exceptionally. "The professionalism of the medical crew operating aboard HMAS Kanimbla was outstanding. Their ability to quickly adjust to the environment of working on a ship and integrate with HMAS Kanimbla’s medical team, and then rapidly deliver emergency health support was tremendous."

"On their second day aboard HMAS Kanimbla, members of the Battalion provided health support to the Australians injured in the Shark 02 accident," he said.

Media Note: Media are welcome to attend the return of the Boeing 707 in Brisbane International Airport at 7.20pm. The return of the C130 Hercules to Richmond RAAF Base is closed to media however imagery will be made available on the Defence website.

Media Contact: Defence Media Liaison – 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664