Royal New Zealand Air Force continues more flights to support Vanuatu response

A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130J-30 Hercules left New Zealand at first light today and has arrived in Port Vila, with search and rescue equipment and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies following this week’s earthquake.

Also on board were Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade consular staff and six New Zealand Defence Force personnel, including medics and staff, who will assist with planning the emergency response and evacuation of New Zealanders.

Meanwhile, a second RNZAF C-130H Hercules has landed in Noumea to recover urban search and rescue members and equipment and take them to Vanuatu, after the earlier C-130H aircraft they were on last night diverted to New Caledonia following an engine fire warning indication.

The C-130H in Noumea will be repaired today with parts taken up on the recovery aircraft.

An RNZAF P-8A Poseidon is also airborne today, conducting another surveillance flight over Vanuatu including outlying areas to provide imagery for damage assessments.

This afternoon, an RNZAF Boeing 757 will depart RNZAF Base Auckland to transport more humanitarian assistance and disaster relief stores to Vanuatu and enable evacuations.