18 January 2005
Major General Bambang Darmono visits HMAS Kanimbla

HMAS Kanimbla is a part of the Indonesian led operation to rebuild Aceh, which was one of the areas worse hit by the Boxing day Tsunamis. The ship will remain off the coast, providing a support base for the Australian Defence Force personnel, throughout Operation Sumatra Assist.

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are assisting Indonesian Government authorities as part of the Australian Government programme of humanitarian relief following the Boxing Day tsunami. The ADF has been working in support of tsunami disaster relief in Indonesia's North Sumatra and Aceh Provinces since 28 December 2004.

Relief assistance provided by Australia is part of a co-operative effort involving the ADF, DFAT (AusAID), and Emergency Management Australia. Water, tentage, medical supplies, blankets and other emergency provisions, and logistical support have been provided. In the tsunami-devastated provincial capital of Banda Aceh, the ADF have set up a water purification plant and have established the Anzac Field Hospital, a field hospital operated jointly by medical personnel of the ADF and the New Zealand Defence Force. The Australian Navy amphibious transport ship, HMAS Kanimbla, delivered a detachment of Australian Army Engineers on 13 January, and has taken up station as a floating support and logistics base for relief and reconstruction work.

20050116ran8097690_015 Major General Bambang Darmono, the commander of the Indonesian Government disaster relief operation in Aceh Province is welcomed onboard HMAS Kanimbla by the ships commanding officer, Commander Steve Woodall (right) and the Commander Maritime Task Group, Captain Peter Leschen. (Date taken: 16 January 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res