His Majesty’s Naval Ship, the VOEA Pangai, lowered her ensign for the final time under the watchful eye of the Component Commander of the Tonga Navy, Commander Taniela Tuita on Thursday.
VOEA Pangai was commissioned by His Majesty late King Tupou IV.
Her commissioning Commanding Officer was then His Royal Highness Lieutenant Commander ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, now His Majesty King Tupou VI.
VOEA Pangai saw almost 30 years of distinguished service in the Tongan Navy including peacekeeping missions in Bougainville in 1994, assistance to Niuafo’ou in 2009 following a tsunami and support to Fiji after Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.
The VOEA Pangai was gifted as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat programme under through the Defence Cooperation Programme, which saw Australia gift 22 vessels to Pacific Island countries between 1987 and 1997.
Australia continues to step up maritime security in the region with its recent Pacific Maritime Security Programme. The programme is Australia’s $2 billion commitment to the region over the next 30 years and consists of three components: Pacific Patrol Boat replacement, integrated regional aerial surveillance, and efforts to strengthen regional coordination.
Through the programme, HMAF received a new guardian class patrol boat, VOEA Ngahau Koula (Golden Arrow), last year and will receive VOEA Ngahau Siliva later this year.
Photo supplied