36SQN flies out refugees

AIRLIFT TASKS

By FLGOFF Fiona Harris

* 36SQN have transported ADF teams, food, water and have relocated refugees during the operation. They have a long history of humanitarian support.

FLTLT Wayne Baylis

Despite their loss, many passengers offered aircrew gifts.

Photo by CPL Belinda Mepham

*

BARELY 48 hours after the Boxing Day tsunami, the first of two No. 36 Squadron C-130Hs touched down in Medan, Indonesia, to begin providing an airlift capability.

36SQN’s primary role has been to assist the Indonesian military.

Preliminary tasking for the C-130H crews included transporting a medical team and the initial food and water to tsunami- ravaged Banda Aceh and then ferrying the humanitarian aid out of Jakarta and Medan.

The C-130H crews have also been responsible for relocating refugees from Banda Aceh. Flight Lieutenant Wayne Baylis said when he looked into the eyes of refugees and saw how grateful they were, it put the ADF’s efforts into perspective.

“These people, who have had everything taken away from them, get on our aircraft and are offering us food, clothing and gifts, and it’s amazing to see people who have had everything taken away from them to be so caring and giving,” he said.

The crews have had a bird’s eye view of the damage to the west coast of Banda Aceh.

“On New Year’s Day we did a run from Meulaboh, which is about 100 miles south of Banda on the western coast, up to Banda Aceh and we didn’t see one living thing,” FLTLT Baylis recalled.

“I have never seen anything like this before, and let’s hope we never see anything like this again.”

.