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HARD
WORKING: The Accident Investigation team were provided
with domestic support on the Island of Nias by the expeditionary
combat support detachment members above.
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A
team of 15 people including members of Clearance Diving Team
Four have just returned from the site of the recent Sea King
helicopter crash on the Island of Nias after the successful
completion of a very challenging task: Creating a home away
from home.
The expeditionary combat support detachment made up of members
of No. 381ECSS, No. 1CCS, No. 3 CSH and Clearance Diving Team
Four recently returned from a month-long deployment where they
were initially deployed to provide domestic support for the
various ADF and Civilian agencies visiting the crash site, and
to enable the 15 person Aircraft Investigation Team (AAIT) to
reside on-site.
The mission soon expanded to include recovery of the wreckage
and the provision of domestic support to the legal council assisting
the Board of Inquiry and to the civil contractors Maritime Command
engaged to return the crash site to a useable soccer field for
the local community.
In the days immediately following the crash, the 40-degree heat
and the remoteness of the crash site hindered the AAIT’s progress.
The establishment of the combat support detachment at the crash
site allowed the AAIT to make use of the cooler hours either
end of the day.
It also allowed them to concentrate on the job at hand by providing
food, accommodation, medical, communications and logistical
support, all 50 metres from the crash site.
The combat support detachment provided five-star service to
all the groups who had cause to travel to the site.
The establishment and maintenance of these services was no easy
task – all equipment had to be flown in under heavy-lift helicopter
and moved the last couple of hundred metres from a makeshift
landing zone to the camp site either by the six wheeled all
terrain vehicle or a by human chains (provided by the helpful
locals).
The helicopters could not drop equipment off directly at the
campsite due to its close proximity to the crash site, which
could not be disturbed by rotor wash.
Maritime Headquarters organised for the detachment to be resupplied
(every 10 days or so) out of Singapore by the USN. Supplies
were dropped in by USN Seahawk helicopter.
On the initial resupply (dubbed Super Sunday), two USN Seahawks
working from the USN Tippacanoe air dropped 53 pallets of equipment,
food and water into the site, all in the space of one hour.
When it was all over the CSE with the assistance of 100 locals
moved all the stores into the camp and packed the cargo nets
and associated slinging devices ready for collection by one
of the helos several hours later.
Just as the AAIT found the going tough on the crash site, the
members of the combat support team found it equally as difficult
establishing and maintaining the camp in such extreme weather
conditions. We train to be aware of our own limitations and
to watch our co-workers for signs of heat stress and dehydration.
Despite this, even some of the fittest individuals fell victim
to the heat and required medical attention. Once all critical
evidence had been accounted for, the combat support detachment
under the supervision of RAN technical experts from the AAIT
recovered the aircraft wreckage.
After all wreckage was packed we then organised the airlift
(again under heavy lift MI-8 helicopter) of the containers from
the makeshift LZ back to Sumatra for airlift back to Australia
by C-130.
Members performing the wreckage recovery and packing were required
to work in the same Personal Protective Equipment as the AAIT.
