During the US-SG joint press conference that occurred last month (August 2021), PM Lee Hsien Loong and US Vice-President Kamala Harris shared an iconic moment between them:
They exchanged brofists.
Yet despite the revolutionary moment, there was another instance over the course of the conference that was of particular significance.
In the wake of turmoil in Afghanistan, PM Lee stated that Singapore had offered support for evacuations from Afghanistan.
Apparently, Singapore will be offering its A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT) to assist with evacuation efforts.
The move was warmly received by the US VP, who thanked PM Lee for the “very generous offer”.
“We look forward to following up on that discussion,” she said.
RSAF Aircraft Returned to S’pore After Evacuating People from Afghanistan to Germany
And now, weeks after the historic moment(s), the MRTT has officially returned to Singapore.
First deployed on 26 August 2021, the transport aircraft swiftly made its way to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where it ferried Afghanistan evacuees to Germany.
In total, more than 2,200 evacuees were reportedly transferred over a period of over two weeks.
The aircraft had reportedly been making its rounds between Qatar and two American military air bases in south-west Germany: Ramstein and Spangdahlem. Ten trips are believed to have been made.
77 personnel, including the likes of pilots, aircrew, engineers and security personnel, were involved in the humanitarian mission.
Short Notice
It should be noted that the move wasn’t exactly made with months of preparation beforehand.
In a Facebook post yesterday (10 September 2021), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen penned that the 77-strong crew had prepared with relatively short notice.
“They were given very short notice to prepare and set off on their mission. Plans were disrupted with hasty good-byes to their family members and loved ones.”
Yet despite the complications, the crew members never abandoned their professionalism and sense of mission.
“They flew Singapore’s flag high, being the only foreign military supporting the US’ evacuation efforts in Qatar,” Minister Ng wrote.
“I know that many Singaporeans share my pride and appreciation for their contributions to this successful mission. Well done!”
Netizens have also concurred, saluting the heroic personnel in question and thanking them for their sacrifices.
To date, the post has garnered over 413 shares and 2.5K likes & reactions.
You can view the post down below:
Gratitude
Meanwhile, Charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in Singapore Rafik Mansour has since thanked Singapore for its contributions.
“On behalf of the American people, I thank Prime Minister Lee and our partners in the Singapore Armed Forces for supporting the evacuation operation,” he said.
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Featured Image: Facebook (Ng Eng Hen)
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