Aug-Sep 2013, Issue 174 - Royal New Zealand Navy

Above left: CPODR Rangi Ehu getting assistance from the locals to usethe deployable NZDF Geospatial UXO Database! Above top right: Someof the unexploded ordnance on land near Munda. Above bottom right:Divers at work.we had a safe 1.5 metre clearance.“We then transited to Sasavele were we acted as a forwardoperating base for the EOD teams and our ship’s company had theopportunity to help on the ground.”The first phase of the operation on Sasavele Island was a success,with the teams clearing all known ordnance off the island,including 1500 90mm high-explosive projectiles found in theSasavele lagoon.“It was a huge effort from all the team and it is a great feelingknowing we’ve made Sasavele Island a safer place to live,” saysEOD Team Leader Chief Petty Officer Diver Rangi Ehu.“It was a tough job in very hot conditions, but our EOD teamsare very well trained and they did an excellent job on Sasavele.Concurrently MANAWANUI provided excellent support to theclearance of Rendova Island which was the US Military’s mainoperating base during the battle of Munda in World War II.“Once we’d cleared all known ordnance there, we turned ourattention to the village of Munda, and the surrounding jungleand sea floor. This was also an amazing opportunity for the diversonboard MANAWANUI and WELLINGTON to assist the careerODT Divers in the location and disposal of vast amounts ofmaritime ERW.“We also bought Prime TV’s 60 Minutes along and they got to seefirst hand the professionalism of the NZDF’s EOD disposal teams,as well as the dedication of our Operational Diving Team who workin some really challenging and tough conditions, but always getthe job done safely and to the highest standard.“It was a very rewarding operation and the local population wereextremely pleased to have us there. I for one am proud of the workwe did in making their part of the world a little bit safer,” saidCPODR Ehu.Operation PUKAURUA continued on to Kiribati where a smalltri-service EOD team based in MANAWANUI worked as part of thewider PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2013 Operation to clear ERW fromKiribati.MANAWANUI and the ODT then transited to Vanuatu for the finalphase to clear more ERW from beautiful Vanuatu Harbour beforereturning to Devonport Naval Base in mid-August.“I’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who’s been apart of this operation,” says Commander Leslie. “We’ve met ourobjectives and cleared a huge amount of potentially dangerousexplosives from a beautiful and welcoming part of the world.”10 Operation PUKAURUA