Australian Naval History on 13 January 2005

HMAS KANIMBLA, (CMDR Steve Woodall, RAN), arrived at Banda Aceh, (Northern Sumatra), to provide support as part of Operation Sumatra Assist, following the devastation wreaked on the area by a Tsunami on 26 December 2004. Large portions of the coastal areas of Northern Sumatra, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India were destroyed, and nearly 400,000 people killed, and millions made homeless. KANIMBLA carried Sea King helicopters which were used to support the distribution of food and water, and heavy engineering equipment for use by the Australian Army’s 1st Combat Engineer Regiment, (which flew to Aceh by RAAF C-130 aircraft). The Primary Casualty Receiving Facility onboard KANIMBLA was also used to treat many injured Indonesian civilians.