Deadly Mercy Mission

The Australian navy supply ship H.M.A.S. Kanimbla was in Singapore on March 29, preparing to head home after three months helping in the reconstruction of Indonesia's earthquake- and tsunami-ravaged Aceh province. That night, a second earthquake struck Nias, Banyak and Simeulue islands, off the coast of Sumatra. Within hours, the Kanimbla - equipped for the rapid transport of soldiers, medics and heavy machinery - was heading back to the area. Medical teams raced for its Sea King helicopters, which began scouring Nias for badly injured survivors and ferrying them to the ship's hospital for treatment. On the afternoon of Apr....