Among the 630 ship’s company and other embarked ADF personnel on board, there were three Navy sailors and one Army soldier of Tongan heritage.
All four are proud to return as part of the Australian Government response to assist Tonga recover from a volcanic eruption and tsunami on January 15.
For HMAS Adelaide's chaplain, returning to his birthplace as part of Operation Tonga Assist 2022 holds special significance.
“This is an unimaginable opportunity for me,” said Chaplain Simote Finau, who also participated in Operation Fiji Assist a year ago.
