- Title: SRI LANKA: U.S. MARINES ARRIVE TO HELP COUNTRY DEAL WITH TSUANAMI AFTERMATH.
- Date: 3rd January 2005
- Summary: (W4) COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (JANUARY 3, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. CU/GV: U.S. AIR FORCE GALAXY PLANE ON RUNWAY; AMERICAN FLAG ON TAIL OF PLANE; PLANE ON RUNWAY (3 SHOTS) 0.23 2. GV/MCU: U.S. MARINES GETTING OFF PLANE; U.S. MARINES ON GROUND (3 SHOTS) 0.49 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LT. COLONEL PAUL WILLIAMS SAYING: "We are currently off-loading Black Hawk helicopters. They are been brought in to support the relief effort. The United States is bringing these in first before we bring in humanitarian supplies, so that we have a way to distribute the rations they require, that the items the Sri Lankans require to support the relief operations." 1.18 4. GV/GV/PAN: HELICOPTERS UNLOADED; MARINES UNLOADING EQUIPMENT (5 SHOTS) 2.17 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 18th January 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
- Country: Sri Lanka
- Reuters ID: LVA8LL4P5EFFTJZTTKIZNP89LR7Y
- Story Text: U.S Marines arrive in Sri Lanka with specialist
equipment to help the country deal with the aftermath of
the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami.
A first group of United States Marines arrived in
Sri Lanka on Monday (January 3) with helicopters,
bulldozers, generators and other specialist equipment to
help the country deal with the aftermath of the deadly
Indian Ocean tsunami.
A giant U.S. Air Force Galaxy aircraft landed at
Colombo's international airport from Japan with an initial
force of 150 marine specialists who will unload and
assemble the equipment.
"The United States is bringing them in first, before we
bring in the humanitarian supplies, so we have a way to
distribute the rations...and support the relief operation,"
Lt. Col. Paul Williams told Reuters.
Local media have speculated that the U.S. may be
sending more than 1,500 marines to Sri lanka to help in
relief work - a move reported to have been viewed with
suspicion by neighbour India because of Washington's close
links with Delhi's arch rival Pakistan.
"India Furious!" said a banner headline in the Monday
edition of the Sudar Oli (Beacon Light), a Tamil-language
newspaper published from Colombo.
The newspaper said India was upset that Sri Lanka had
not given it proper warning that it would be welcoming U.S.
Marines into its "neighbourhood".
Williams said the U.S. was initially bringing six Black
hawk helicopters and two C-130 aircraft to help distribute
relief supplies. He did not say how many marines would be coming.
More than 30,000 people were killed and nearly one
million made homeless by the devastating tsunami waves that
struck Sri Lanka's south and east coasts on December 26.
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