SINGAPORE : Four helicopters from the Singapore airforce left for Phuket on Thursday morning to join the Thai authorities and other international relief agencies in search and rescue operations following Sunday's devastating tsunami.
This comes a day after a team left for Indonesia to help out with the relief mission in Aceh.
The Singapore Navy's Landing Ship Tank would be ready to sail off to Western Sumatra on Friday.
On hand to send off the men on their mission was Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean.
He had spoken to his Thai counterpart to inform him of the help Singapore is rendering in the search and rescue operations.
Rear Admiral Teo said, "We have sent off four helicopters to Phuket as well -- that is also a very seriously affected area. A good number of Singaporeans have been affected there. We are very grateful to the Thai authorities' assistance for our Singaporeans who are there and we hope that with the resources we are sending there, it will be helpful to the Thai authorities in their overall relief efforts."
The Singapore Armed Forces has sent 70 men on its humanitarian relief mission to Phuket for a two-week period.
The men say their task is expected to be a challenging one, especially with a breakdown in good communications infrastructure and hygene conditions.
Said Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Lim of the 127 Squadron, "The biggest concern is the uncertainty. We must be prepared to be adaptable and be flexible to deal with the situation and the environment."
Added Staff Sergeant Rajesh Sara of the RSAF Phuket Mission Team, "Over the years, we have been very prepared in terms of search and resuce, so going over to Phuket shouldn't be a problem."
Meanwhile, Singapore's Chinook helicopters have arrived in Aceh and started work Thursday morning.
Admiral Teo said, "The Chinooks are particularly useful because they have a very heavy lift capability. They can lift 20,000 pounds, carry 55 people. So I think it will be very useful to distribute the things from the logistics centres.
"The ship also should be ready to go tomorrow. It will be a fairly major capability to be able to go pretty close to the epicentre of the quake, the islands around there and the west coast of Sumatra. (It would be) be able to operate quite autonomously with landing craft, medical teams and helicopters also necessary to provide support to areas severely affected.
"It is becoming very clear that Indonesia is the most severely affected country. The Indonesian authorities are doing their best to cope and we will fit in with their efforts to help as much as possible."
The minister said this has been possible due to the quick response action by the air force to put together the assistance package together all within 48 hours.
Another medical team of 25 SAF personnel left on Thursday morning for Banda Aceh.
The three C-130 aircraft also carried another consignment of relief and medical supplies, which were handed over to the Indonesian authorities in Banda Aceh. - CNA
I think it is a good experience for those involved at RSAF, RSN and SCDF...
SCDF sent lorries to Indonesia... They were carried using the C-130 Hercules at PLAB... PLAB these 2 days are very busy