Fire and Emergency's Papua New Guinea deployment ends

7 Pipiri 2024

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has completed its mission to Papua New Guinea, in the wake of last month’s landslide in Enga Province where several hundred people are reported to have died.

A team of six Urban Search and Rescue specialists was deployed last week as part of an MFAT-led mission at the request of Papua New Guinea’s government to make geotechnical assessments of the landslide site and surrounding area.

Their work has included hazard and risk mapping and the team has worked closely with GNS scientists in New Zealand during their deployment.

Fire and Emergency National Commander Russell Wood said the team had completed its mission and reported its findings to the provincial administration.

"We always stand ready to support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to respond to international incidents where our expertise and resources can be of assistance," Russell Wood said. 

"In this case we were able to send an experienced team of technical specialists to carry out a specific task that the authorities in Papua New Guinea requested following the landslide."

The team will return to New Zealand later today (Friday).