The SCDF Operation Lion Heart contingent was yesterday deployed to assist in the recovery of a male casualty at Gunung Kidul. The rescuers were challenged by a steep and muddy slope down the hill where they had to trek to reach the victim, and a 10-ton boulder that was pinning on him. The extrication was successfully completed in 2 hours.

The contingent continues to work closely with the local authorities to render assistance in the relief and rescue operations at Bantul, one of the worst-hit regions in the South of Yogyakarta. Since this morning, 1 rescue section has been attached to the SAF field medical station to render medical treatment, while another rescue section has been deployed to the SAF mobile unit that is on the move to treat injured casualties in the outskirts.

The SCDF medical team comprising a doctor and 10 paramedics that was deployed to Central Java arrived at the Yogyakarta Airport at 5.40 pm (local time) yesterday. The medical team augments the existing SAF-SCDF medical contingent to render immediate medical treatment to the quake victims, which is the current focus of the humanitarian efforts at the disaster-hit areas.

Upon arrival yesterday evening, the SCDF medical team and their SAF counterparts immediately tended to emergency cases at the Bantul District Hospital. Major surgical operations were performed on 4 casualties who suffered multiple fractures at the lower limbs. Following a joint assessment with the SAF medical contingent, the SCDF medical team continued to work at the Bantul District Hospital to treat the injured quake victims. Since their arrival yesterday, the SCDF medical personnel have helped to treat a total of 38 casualties.

SCDF"s United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) representative, MAJ Alan Toh has been deployed at the Yogyakarta Airport to help coordinate relief supplies arriving from international donations.

In addition to the above, the SCDF contingent has also attached a 2-member Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Partnership (APHP) team to the UNDAC element in Bantul. The main role of the team is to render expertise to establish critical communications infrastructure for the UN On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) in support of its international rescue and relief coordination operations.

In total, 54 SCDF personnel were deployed in its overseas rescue and humanitarian mission to Indonesia.