Canadian warships to sail to Louisiana

[Thanato]

Canadian warships to sail to Louisiana

Three Canadian warships, a coast guard vessel and three Sea King helicopters will be sent to Louisiana on Tuesday with relief supplies for the U.S. Gulf Coast.

National Defense Minister Bill Graham talks with Russian Defense Ministar Sergei Ivanov in Moscow. (AP Photo)

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir William Alexander will sail along with the Canadian Navy vessels, HMCS Athabaskan, HMCS Ville De Quebec and HMCS Toronto.

Naval crews were busy loading gear on to the ships in Halifax Friday as 1,000 personnel prepared to head to waters off New Orleans.

Commodore Dean McFadden, who will command the deployment, said they were consulting with their American counterparts to determine what they will do during the expected month-long mission. He suggested duties would involve reconstruction, health care and humanitarian aid.

"We will have the capacity to move people. We'll have the capacity to bring medical supplies and fuel capabilities," McFadden said as he stood on the dock next to destroyer HMCS Athabaskan, the command and control ship for the mission. "The specific jobs we're going to do, I'll wait until the Americans tell us what help they need."

The vessels will work with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard and carry Canadian Forces personnel, some of them military engineers who might be able to help restore power and generate electricity.

About 40 navy divers from both coasts were also expected to deploy with the mission, which got clearance after American officials accepted a Canadian offer of help.

Rear Admiral Dan McNeil of the Joint Task Force Atlantic said organizers of the mission, dubbed Operation Union, were compiling a list of what's needed as U.S. officials continued to assess their requirements.

The ships are expected to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico three to four days after they leave Halifax.

Source

Pictures of the three Navy Ships.

HMCS Athabaskan

HMCS Ville De Quebec

HMCS Toronto

Sir William Alexander

~Thanato

Edited September 3, 2005 by Thanato

[Conspiracy]

go canada!

[__Kratos__]

Canada is trying to invade the US?

This is good news, those people need all they help they can get.

[Guest]

They're sending police officers too.

[AztecInca]

The more aid that these people get the better, it is certainly in short supply at the moment!

[Dr_Strangelove]

The Canadians are also sending telecommunications equipment, in particular replacement cards for the many DMS-100 Switchs that were destroyed in the flooding.

[TooFarGone]

Go Canada!

Although, I think the should send in some Cormorants rather then the old SeaKings.

Cormorant:

SeaKing info

For every hour of flight it requires 30 hours of maintainance. Not the most reliable bird

Edited September 4, 2005 by Jeremy_Rumbolt

[Thanato]

i too think they should of sent the comarount since its a meadium-heavy kift chopper equiped with the most advanced search and rescue equipment.

~Thanato

[TooFarGone]

Exactly. Much more reliable.

[Thanato]

The ships are leaving today. Also a plane with supllys landed yesterday in Louisiana.

~Thanato

[twpdyp]

I am sending a heartfelt Thank-You to Canada and to all Canadian Citizens.

[TooFarGone]

I'll accept that on behalf of Canada! Any time America

[+joc]

I am sending a heartfelt Thank-You to Canada and to all Canadian Citizens.

Ditto that. Thank you!

..please don't forget the Maple Syrup....

[Michelle]

They're sending WARSHIPS???? Run for your lives!!!

Thank you...any help is appreciated!!!!

By the way, I'll take a jar of that maple syrup, too.

[Conspiracy]

-gives u some maple syrup- ^.^

[Michelle]

Why thank you, sir...I believe I'll make french toast in the morning.

[Thanato]

So the invasion is on time then? Ok, now america if you see Canadian troops marching down the US on the News, its just a lie. ok its aliew

Warships are heading there should be down there in 5 days full of supplies, the supplies are from the CF's own stock piles of disaster relife stuff, for our own disasters so use it wisely

~Thanato