Australian defence force personnel stationed in the Solomon Islands have helped rescue the survivors of a “violent attack”, in which a seven-year-old girl was killed.
Members of the Australian defence force’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour task group (IPE18) assisted Solomons police after a violent attack on a group of people on Bellona Island, about 200km south of the capital Honiara.
The attack, last Friday, killed a seven-year-old girl. Four others – a boy aged 16, and two men, 59 and 68, and a 34-year-old woman – suffered deep wounds and were transferred to hospital in Honiara.
It is understood one man attacked the girl, and then the others in an unprovoked assault. The assailant has been arrested.
The ADF was called in, at the request of the Royal Solomon Islands police force, through the Australian high commission. Two MRH-90 helicopters left the HMAS Adelaide – currently stationed off Honiara – with two accident and emergency teams on board, alongside five police officers.
Commander of IPE18, Captain Jim Hutton, said he was pleased the ADF was able to help in a life-threatening situation. In a statement, the ADF described the attack as a “violent incident”.
“We were asked to help retrieve the injured and bring them to hospital in Honiara for further treatment,” Hutton said.
“Today’s operation highlights the value of what we are doing in the region, the capability that we have and our commitment to do all we can to help our friends in times of need.”
Police have appealed to relatives of those attacked not to take matters into their own hands.
“I have announced to relatives and families involved to allow police to handle the matter so the situation here is calm at the moment,” Bellona police officer Roy Maungatango told the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation.
“We are so lucky with the help of the community members to calm the situation. I took care of the suspect and my two other colleagues have taken care of the injured people until they lifted them all over to Honiara.”
Solomon Islands police are continuing to investigate the assault.
In June, HMAS Adelaide, a Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ship, was in Hawaii, participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific, the world’s largest international maritime exercise, involving nearly 50 ships from 26 nations.
