Emergency response vessels and training provided by New Zealand to Fiji proved their worth in the wake of two tropical cyclones in April.
New Zealand provided Fiji with five emergency response vessels last year, funded through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
The largest, Ai Talai, a rescue vessel constructed in Christchurch by ICON Custom Boats, was delivered in December 2017. The other four were Sealegs amphibious craft.
MFAT provided follow-up training and support to the vessel operators through its Pacific Maritime Safety Programme.
The training was put to the test after Fiji was hit by two damaging tropical cyclones within a few weeks: Cyclone Josie on April 1, claiming the lives of five people, and Cyclone Keni, which made landfall on the island of Kadavu on April 10.
Three of the response vessels transported assessment teams to and from remote villages around Kadavu and carried emergency relief supplies including water, food and building materials.
FIJI RESCUE
Written by
Share this
Sealegs further extends its global reach
Sealegs is has welcomed four new dealer partners across the United States and Au...
New era for urban water transport
Electric hydrofoiling is gaining momentum in Australia, with New Zealand marine ...
Williams Jet Tenders TurboJet MX Range
New models deliver Williams Jet Tenders’ renowned quality and performance at a m...
Comments
This conversation is moderated by Boating New Zealand. Subscribe to view comments and join the conversation. Choose your plan →
This conversation is moderated by Boating New Zealand.
