INDONESIA: NINE AUSTRALIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL PRESUMED DEAD AFTER A NAVY HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING A RESCUE OPERATION ON ISLAND OF NIAS

Record ID: 250112

  • Title: INDONESIA: NINE AUSTRALIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL PRESUMED DEAD AFTER A NAVY HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING A RESCUE OPERATION ON ISLAND OF NIAS
  • Date: 2nd April 2005
  • Summary: (BN12) GUNUNGSITOLI, NIAS ISLAND, INDONESIA (APRIL 2, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. WS: NEWS CONFERENCE 0.06 2. (SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN ARMED FORCES MAJOR FERGUS MCFARLANE SAYING: "What I can say is that earlier this afternoon a sea king helicopter from the Australian Navy ship Kanimbla crashed in the vicinity of Telukdalam. There were 11 passengers on board, of which three were from the Australian Defence Force. At the time of the crash the Australian helicopter was conducting humanitarian relief operations in assistance of the victims of this earthquake here in Nias. The incident is still being investigated and I thank you very much for your understanding that I have no further information at this stage. Thank you." 0.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 17th April 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GUNUNGSITOLI, NIAS ISLAND, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA3LQYZ0X2VGHS8KCLLGT2TDRM1
  • Story Text: Nine Australians are presumed dead after a
    helicopter on a rescue operation to Nias crashed.


    Nine Australian military personnel were presumed
    dead on Saturday (April 2) after their navy helicopter
    crashed during a rescue mission to Nias, the Indonesian
    island devastated by Monday's earthquake.

    "What I can say is that earlier this afternoon a
    seeking helicopter from the Australian Navy ship Kanimbla
    crashed in the vicinity of Telukdalam. There were 11
    passengers on board, of which three were from the
    Australian Defence Force. At the time of the crash the
    Australian helicopter was conducting humanitarian relief
    operations in assistance of the victims of this earthquake
    here in Nias. The incident is still being investigated and
    I thank you very much for your understanding that I have no
    further information at this stage," said Australian Armed
    Forces Major Fergus Mcfarlane.

    The helicopter was involved in an aid effort along with
    around 1,500 Indonesian soldiers digging through the rubble
    of houses destroyed in the magnitude 8.7 quake.

    In Jakarta, Indonesian air force spokesman Sagom Tambun
    said by telephone the helicopter had evacuated earthquake
    victims and was on its way back to the Kanimbla.


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