US ships ready to take part in relief operation
Sunday, 25 November 2007
Two US navy ships ready to join relief operations were waiting in the waters in the Bay of Bengal Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
USS Essex and USS Kearsarge will take a day or two to begin their operations since the US officials were examining the possible place to anchor.
A team of the US officials visited Barisal and Patuakhali Friday to finalise the spot for the helicopter base, said Lt Col Abu Sayeed Mohammad Ali, a Bangladeshi army official in Barisal.
The US team needs to set up a base for its helicopters and liaison office. Safety of the US ships and officials is being considered in fixing the place, he said.
"A US navy team has visited Barisal airport area. One of their medical teams went to Barisal and Patuakhali on Friday," Sayeed Ali told bdnews24.com. "I have no other details."
He said a liaison committee was looking after the matter of fixing the place.
The US marine helicopters would land at Barisal airport with relief materials from Chittagong and Dhaka to ferry them to the victims across the southern coast hit hardest by the tropical cyclone, Sidr.
Admiral Timothy J Keating, commander of the US Pacific Command, met Bangladesh army chief Moeen U Ahmed Friday and discussed their operations strategy.
Each of the ships carried 23 helicopters and six small planes. Each ship could contain materials worth 40,000 tonnes.
About 1,500 Marine crew would take part in relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Each ship has 600 beds equipped with modern hospital facilities.
A US ship Operation Sea Angel took part in a massive relief operation after a cyclone hit the coast in 1991 that killed about 140,000 people.
USS Essex and USS Kearsarge will take a day or two to begin their operations since the US officials were examining the possible place to anchor.
A team of the US officials visited Barisal and Patuakhali Friday to finalise the spot for the helicopter base, said Lt Col Abu Sayeed Mohammad Ali, a Bangladeshi army official in Barisal.
The US team needs to set up a base for its helicopters and liaison office. Safety of the US ships and officials is being considered in fixing the place, he said.
"A US navy team has visited Barisal airport area. One of their medical teams went to Barisal and Patuakhali on Friday," Sayeed Ali told bdnews24.com. "I have no other details."
He said a liaison committee was looking after the matter of fixing the place.
The US marine helicopters would land at Barisal airport with relief materials from Chittagong and Dhaka to ferry them to the victims across the southern coast hit hardest by the tropical cyclone, Sidr.
Admiral Timothy J Keating, commander of the US Pacific Command, met Bangladesh army chief Moeen U Ahmed Friday and discussed their operations strategy.
Each of the ships carried 23 helicopters and six small planes. Each ship could contain materials worth 40,000 tonnes.
About 1,500 Marine crew would take part in relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Each ship has 600 beds equipped with modern hospital facilities.
A US ship Operation Sea Angel took part in a massive relief operation after a cyclone hit the coast in 1991 that killed about 140,000 people.