Royal New Zealand Navy hydrographers are mapping the navigational approaches and lagoon transit routes of Penrhyn Atoll as part of a humanitarian deployment to the northern Cook Islands.
More than 50 New Zealand Defence Force personnel have arrived on the remote atoll for Exercise Tropic Twilight, delivering construction, health and hydrographic tasks at the request of the Cook Islands Government.
HMNZS Matataua's Littoral Warfare Unit will survey maritime infrastructure to provide updated data for the Cook Islands Government. The work includes charting navigational approaches and safe transit routes through the lagoon.
New Zealand Army engineers from 25 Engineer Support Squadron are working alongside five engineers from the Forces Armées en Nouvelle-Calédonie and one from Vanuatu to upgrade facilities at Omoka and Te Tautua Schools, upgrade the roof on the Omoka Market building, and install solar water stills. They are also assisting local mechanics to service island plant machinery and vehicles.
Health personnel from both the RNZN and NZ Army are delivering medical services alongside local staff.
Before transiting to Penrhyn from Rarotonga, RNZN hydrographers conducted a boat ramp survey at Avatiu Harbour. NZ Army personnel also cleaned and plumbed the roof at Aotearoa Marae to enable water collection and assisted the National Environment Service with a reusable plastics sustainability project.
Deputy Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Brigadier Michael Bassingthwaighte said Tropic Twilight builds on more than 25 years of New Zealand support to the Pacific, and follows last year's deployment to Ma'uke.
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