A disaster relief team with Shark 22 on HMAS KANIMBLA

The RAN has dashed to the aid of 2000 Pacific Islanders whose fresh water supply had been contaminated by ash from an erupting volcano.

The emergency occurred on the Island of Paama, 150 nautical miles north of Port Vila in Vanuata and involved HMAS KANIMBLA and her embarked helicopters, led by CMDR David Gwyther.

KANIMBLA, under the command of CMDR Steve Turner, was alongside Port Vila on a goodwill mission before taking up peace monitor support duties in the Solomons, when word came that the Lopevi volcano on Paama had erupted.

Ash and sulphur spewing from the volcano had contaminated the water supply of many of the island's residents.

The RAN was asked to help.

A team from KANIMBLA, then erecting playground equipment in Port Vila, was recalled and the ship made ready, but not before fresh water from Port Vila's town supply was decanted into hundreds of large blue plastic containers.

With thousands of litres of water stowed on the tank deck, KANIMBLA sailed for Paama.

Also on board were four vulcanologists and a disaster relief team.

The ship made good time to Paama, using her aircraft to fly the civilians ashore and then begin the water delivery.

The ship's company put in a stirling effort lifting the water from the tank deck to the flight deck for the water shuttle.

Operation completed, KANIMBLA sailed for Santo where more playground equipment was erected.

She then went on to the Solomons to replace HMAS DARWIN as the peace monitoring support ship.