NAVY HELICOPTER CRASH

3 April 2005

On behalf of all Australians my wife and I extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathy to the families and friends of the servicemen and women killed and injured in the crash of a Navy Sea King helicopter carrying out emergency relief work in Indonesia.

Our sympathy goes out to Commander George McGuire, his crew and all aboard HMAS Kanimbla who will be feeling a great sense of personal loss and grief.

We wish a full and speedy recovery to those who were injured.

This is a terrible burden to bear in the midst of a much wider natural disaster.

We all felt for the crew of HMAS Kanimbla last week when the earthquake off Sumatra led to the ship's recall to the region whilst heading back to Australia.

Australians are proud of the magnificent work being carried out by our Defence Force men and women, aid agency workers and other volunteers in areas where the tsunamis and the more recent earthquake have taken such a massive toll.

They have helped thousands of people in dire need and distress.

Service in our Defence Force always involves some degree of risk; it’s the nature of the job and it is a risk our young men and women accept with good grace every day. But when on occasion tragedy strikes, it still hits hard. It cuts to the inner being of all involved; service members, families, friends, indeed the nation.

And it is on their behalf that Marlena and I extend our sincere condolences.

(Michael Jeffery)