DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 041/10
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Australian Air Traffic Controllers arrive in Haiti
In late January 2010, the Government approved the deployment of a small team of
Defence Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCO) to assist efforts in earthquake-ravaged
Haiti.
The five ATCOs deployed to Port-au-Prince on Friday and are contributing to
operations and assisting their US counterparts in support of the Haitian relief effort.
This contribution will help alleviate the pressure and improve safety at the main
airport in Haiti, through which much of the air traffic for this aid operation is passing.
Air Traffic Controllers provide a highly specialised capability to provide the safe and
effective control of military and civil aircraft.
RAAF Air Traffic Controllers have deployed with distinction to Baghdad, Sinai,
Somalia, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Banda Aceh and Sudan.
The ADF has an excellent reputation internationally for providing humanitarian
assistance when emergencies such as this occur.
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: (02) 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
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