AT FIRST SIGHT

The tranquility of the sea and lush green lands greet the RSS Endurance as we approached Port Meulaboh. About two nautical miles away, we could clearly see the red-and-white radio tower and buildings that dotted the small coastal town nestled in West Sumatra.

Truly, looks can be deceiving. Who would have thought exactly a week ago, the very same shoreline faced a battering that stunned the world over.

According to the Indonesian Health Ministry, over 10,200 lives were snuffed out by the killer tsunami waves in the town of Meulaboh alone.

After a 50-hour voyage across the Malacca Straits and to the Indian Ocean, the Landing Ship Tank (LST), that is part of Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) Joint Humanitarian Assistance Task Force to Indonesia, finally let down her anchor.

In quick succession, a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) and two Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEP) vessels were deployed from the LST to link up with the advance party, that includes Joint Humanitarian Assistance Task Force Commander Colonel (COL) Tan Chuan-Jin, that reached the small coastal town on New Year's Eve two days ago.

The first wave that was deployed from RSS Endurance comprised 20 personnel - six on the RHIB, 11 on the first FCEP and three on the second. The RHIB was powered by naval divers and will be used as a probe to test the ground for the FCEPs to beach.

Naval Task Group Commander Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Gregory Goh, also the Commanding Officer of 195 Squadron that operates a fleet of fast landing crafts, headed the first FCEP.

Along with him were three medical personnel and the Deputy Joint Humanitarian Assistance Task Force Commander, LTC Ong Chia Choong.

"Right now, we are not sure about the situation there. We will be meeting up with COL Tan who was there two days earlier, and I believe he will have some instructions for us," LTC Goh told PIONEER minutes before he sped off in the fast craft.

"If there's a chance, we would like to look at the places that he may have identified that are suitable to land before we launch our boats and bring the equipment ashore. The jetty is broken into pieces and so we have to look at other facilities that we can use."

LTC Goh added that with nightfall approaching, the earliest possible time to launch personnel, equipment and vehicles onboard the LST will be on Jan 3.

There are over 470 personnel onboard including six volunteers in the medical team. The tank and flight deck of the ship are crammed with about 350 crates and pallets of relief supplies and 51 vehicles that include excavators and five-tonners.