Defence force

Defence has confirmed members of Operation Tonga Assist discovered asbestos material while clearing debris and destroyed local infrastructure on Atata Island after the January disaster.

The revelation comes as HMAS Adelaide begins returning home from a troubled six-week deployment that saw the Navy's largest warship hit by a COVID-19 outbreak and crippling power failures on board.

Accompanied by their Kiwi Training Advisor/Leadership Mentor New Zealand Army Captain Geoff Bright, the group had to complete the first two weeks of the course development workshop online while they were in managed isolation, before moving to Trentham Military Camp. They have since returned to Tonga.

The exercise was coordinated aboard HMAS Adelaide, which is in Nuku’alofa with HMAS Melbourne for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2018, a major regional engagement activity between the Australian Defence Force.

VIPs, including Australian High Commissioner Andrew Ford and Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Sika, observed personnel from both forces launching via landing craft and helicopters.

The exercise tested the ADF and HMAF’s ability to safely load troops and vehicles aboard the landing craft in HMAS Adelaide’s dock and project them ashore on the beach.