Operation SAMOA ASSIST
05 October 2009
Samoa Assist RAAF Hercules delivers NZ Air Force Helicopter
An Australian Hercules has delivered a second New Zealand Iroquois helicopter to aid the victims of the Samoan tsunami.
The C-130J landed in Samoa on Saturday 2 OCT (local time) to deliver the UH-1H that will join a second helicopter that arrived in Samoa on Thursday night (local time).
Australian and New Zealand personnel worked together to shift the helicopter from the cargo hold of the Hercules.
Both airframes will carry out humanitarian aid missions, delivering supplies to tsunami affected areas of southern Samoa.
The New Zealand contingent had deployed to Samoa only a month previously to practice the missions it was now performing for real victims.
The tsunami that struck Samoa and American Samoa followed an earthquake of 8.1 magnitude about 240km southwest of Apia in Samoa at 0648 on 29 SEP (local time).
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Royal New Zealand Air Force 3 Squadron Aviation Technicians (L-R) CPL Tim Spencer, CPL Cameron Pengelly and SGT Mark duPlessis, get set to drag off their UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter out of a Royal Australian Air Force 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force Personnel start pushing the RNZAF, 3 Squadron UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter out of a 37 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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Royal New Zealand Air Force 3 Squadron Chief Engineer Warrant Officer Paul Davies yells out to both Royal Australian Air Force and RNZAF personnel when to push the 3 Squadron, UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter from a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel help to push a RNZAF 3 Squadron, UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter out of a RAAF 37 Squadron, C-130J Hercules at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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Royal Australian Air Force Leading Aircraft Woman (LACW) Natasha Marlow helps Royal New Zealand Airforce personnel push a UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter out of a Royal Australian Air Force 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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Royal New Zealand Air Force 3 Squadron personnel carefully unload their UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter out of a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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A Royal Australian Air Force 37 Squadron, C-130J Hercules Pilot watches as both RAAF and Royal New Zealand Air Force 3 Squadron Personnel unload a New Zealand UH-1H Bell Iroquois helicopter at the Samoan International Airport.
(Date taken: 02 October 2009)
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