RSAF Chinook helicopters deployed to help with firefighting, relief efforts for Australia’s bushfire crisis

SINGAPORE — Two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Chinook helicopters were deployed on Tuesday (Jan 7) morning to help with the relief efforts for Australia’s large bushfire crisis.

The helicopters took off from Oakey, Western Australia with 42 SAF personnel bound for the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Victoria, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a Facebook post.

The Chinooks will work alongside the Australian Defence Force to assist in firefighting efforts, convey relief supplies and help evacuate residents from the affected areas.

Dr Ng said: “As a small city state, it’s hard for us to imagine the massive scale of the destruction wrought by the bushfires in Australia. Australia has welcomed SAF troops to train there for decades, and in their time of great need, it’s only natural that the SAF do our best to help their people and communities affected by this unexpected disaster." 

Almost 5 million ha of land has been razed across New South Wales, and more than 1.2 million ha in Victoria since late September, Australian officials have said.

Twenty-five people have lost their lives so far, with thousands of homes damaged. About 67,000 people have left or been evacuated from fire-ravaged areas in Victoria.