Update on SAF Relief Operations (02 Jan 05)

02 Jan 2005

The SAF continued to assist the Indonesian authorities in carrying out relief operations in Medan, Banda Aceh and Meulaboh.

The LST – RSS Endurance

RSS Endurance arrived off the coast of Meulaboh at about 4.30pm today. They are now preparing to unload the relief supplies and the heavy engineer equipment, which will be used to open access roads and clear debris. Once the relief supplies and engineer equipment have been brought ashore, the second SAF medical team will be deployed to augment the field hospital in Meulaboh which was set up yesterday. There is a critical requirement in Meulaboh for medical services.

The Helicopter Detachment

The 4 helicopters continued to ferry supplies and stores from Medan to Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. The RSAF also assisted the Indonesian authorities and TNI-AU to establish a Combined Air Co-ordination Centre at Medan Airport. Both the Chinooks and Super-Pumas have also been helping other countries and aid agencies to bring in their equipment and personnel to the disaster-struck areas. Yesterday, we flew in a US Needs Assessment Team into Meulaboh, and ferried the Indonesian Social Affairs Minister and senior TNI officers into the tsunami-affected areas.

The Medical Team in Banda Aceh

The medical team in Banda Aceh continued to operate from the SAF field clinic in Ulee Kareng and has treated more than 300 casualties so far. Our doctors are also assisting the Indonesian authorities to establish a Medical Operating base at the Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport.

IN THAILAND

Overview

The helicopter detachment in Phuket continued to assist the Thai authorities in ferrying medical teams and supplies, rations, water and humanitarian aid workers.

Yesterday, our Chinooks ferried an 83-member forensic team with personnel from Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France and Norway to Takua Pa, and our Super Pumas were employed to ferry more than 20 medical personnel from various countries to Takua Pa and Krabi Airfield. The Super Pumas also delivered relief rations and water to Prah Tong Island, which is about 70 nautical miles north of Phuket International Airport. The rations and water supplies were winched down by our helicopter crewmen because of the poor ground conditions.

Today, our helicopters flew in 100 medical personnel from Phuket to Takua Pa and an 11- member SCDF team into Phi Phi Island.

Other Updates

As part of Singapore’s support for regional disaster relief efforts, we have offered our military facilities as a staging area for disaster relief operations, particularly for northern Sumatra which is the hardest-hit area and closest to Singapore. We have offered the use of our air and naval bases to the United Nations and other relief agencies as well as to other countries, including the US, Australia, France and Japan.