Three Fijians to return home on two Australian Navy ships

Three Fijians will be returning to their motherland on two Australian Navy ships today.

HMA Ships Adelaide and Melbourne will spend three days in Suva, working with Republic of Fiji Military Forces on a range of activities, including disaster assistance planning, multinational naval activities and defence and security training.

The two ships and over 700 personnel from the Australian Defence Force has arrived in Suva today which is part of the Indo‑Pacific Endeavour 2018, a major regional engagement exercise.

Eight members of the RFMF have been aboard Adelaide during the transit from Sydney to Suva, working alongside their Australian counterparts at sea.

One of the returning officers, Royal Australian Navy Chief Petty Officer Maritime Logistics – Support Operations (CPO) Trevor Maybir had moved to Australia from Fiji with his family at the age of 5.

Maybir is now in charge of ten sailors aboard HMAS Adelaide, the Royal Australian Navy's largest ship, as part of Indo‑Pacific Endeavour 2018.

Maybir says he enjoys the lifestyle Australia has to offer, but he misses the people of Fiji.

25-year-old Royal Australian Navy sailor Able Seaman (AB) Communications and Information Systems Michelle Vocea who grew up in Fiji says although she misses many things about Fiji, she is very excited to be a serving aboard HMAS Adelaide.

Royal Australian Navy Able Seaman (AB) Medic Chelsey Patterson, aboard HMAS Adelaide will get a chance to visit her hometown of Suva for the first time in three years.

AB Patterson attended Holy Trinity Anglican School, where she was a Head girl and part of the school's netball team.

AB Patterson says she will be visiting St. Christopher's Orphanage during the ship's port visit, a place she holds close to her heart.