International EOD Teams step ashore in Bougainville as Operation Render Safe 2014 Kicks Off
31 October 2014
Operation Render Safe 2014 is underway in Bougainville as international Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, vehicles and equipment are moved ashore from HMAS Choules.
The amphibious disembarkation phase saw a surge of men and materiel moved into position following the establishment of a beach head.
Responsible for the coordination of movements off the landing craft onto dry land is the Beachmaster, Australian Army Lieutenant Richard Cherry.
"Establishing a beach head is crucial to an operation of this nature. If you haven't appropriately prepared the landing site vehicles can get bogged or drowned and they won't be able to move off the beach," he said.
"What the Amphibious Beach Team (ABT) does is provide a clearance mechanism for the vehicles and personnel to safely transfer from the landing craft and across the beach."
The shores of Torokina are going to host a mass of activity for the duration of Operation RENDER SAFE 2014 as EOD experts from Australia, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Solomon Islands work to reduce the threat of explosive remnants of war in the Torokina District.
"We expect to have the majority of vehicles and equipment ashore in the next couple of days, after that it will be a daily push back and forth between the beach head and Choules ferrying passengers in both the morning and late afternoon," Lieutenant Cherry said.
Operation RENDER SAFE 2014 is taking place at the request of the Autonomous Bougainville Government and with the approval of the Papua New Guinea National Government.
