DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 62656946
MSPA 376/09
Friday, 6 November 2009
KANIMBLA RETURNS TO DARWIN FOLLOWING
PADANG RELIEF MISSION
Around 450 ADF personnel embarked in HMAS Kanimbla will arrive back in Darwin
today, just over one month after departing for Padang to assist in the earthquake relief
operation.
Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Mark Evans says that while Kanimbla
will continue on to Sydney, this will be the final stop for the 110 Army Engineers
from the Darwin-based 1st Combat Engineer Regiment who provided emergency
humanitarian assistance in the weeks following the disaster.
“These Sappers (Army engineers) were pivotal in both the immediate aftermath of the
earthquake as well as the recovery phase,” Lieutenant General Evans said.
“They should be proud of their achievements. They have continued in their unit’s fine
tradition of providing important humanitarian assistance to our neighbours in times of
need, as have all our men and women of the Australian Defence Force who deployed
for this mission.”
Also touching Australian soil for the first time since deploying to Padang will be
Kanimbla’s Ship’s Company of around 260, the Navy health staff who contributed to
the Joint Task Force health care team in Seigerringing and surrounding districts, the
Sea King helicopter crews who provided air lift support into the affected villages, and
soldiers who operated landing craft to ferry equipment ashore.
Kanimbla will remain in Darwin harbour for several days to unload stores and
equipment before departing for Townsville and then Sydney next week.
Other ADF personnel who contributed to the operation such as the Air Force C-130
crew and air-load teams and the Army health teams, logisticians and headquarters
personnel have now returned to their home units.
Media Note:
Further information on the ADF contribution to Operation PADANG ASSIST is
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
