Australian Navy ship leaves for Middle East on anti-piracy mission
11:19, 30 December 2010
SYDNEY. December 30. KAZINFORM The Australian Navy ship HMAS Stuart with 190 Australian sailors on board left Sydney on Thursday for the Middle East on a six-month anti-piracy mission, according to the Australian Associated Press (AAP) report. Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
Hundreds of family members and friends, along with Australian Defense Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon, were at the wharf in Sydney to wave the ship goodbye.
Navy chiefs paid tribute to family members for their sacrifice in letting their loved ones go during the festive period.
In its fourth deployment to the Gulf, HMAS Stuart will relieve HMAS Melbourne on Operation Slipper.
While deployed, Stuart will conduct maritime interdiction and counter-piracy missions, providing a deterrent presence and an escort for merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com