R.N.Z.A.F. plane to bring out medical team

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33804, 29 March 1975, Page 16

R.N.Z.A.F. plane to bring out medical team

r.vew Zealand Press Association!

WELLINGTON, March 28. New Zealand’s medical team will be flown from Qui Nhon, in South

Vietnam, possibly t A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Wellington told the Press Association by telephone tonight that an R.N.Z.A.F.; Bristol Freighter, based with! 41 Squadron in Singapore,was already on its way toi Saigon “in accordance with; contingency plans worked out earlier by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry' of Foreign Affairs.” The spokesman said the aircraft might fly to Qui Nhon tomorrow for the team, but this depended on the assessment of the New Zealand Embassy in Saigon. The team is headed by Dr Jack Enwright, former registrar at the Bay of Islands Hospital. Other members are Miss Bernadette O’Neill, a Wellington nurse, Dr Margaret Neave, a Lower Hutt

tomorrow. pediatrician who formerly worked with the Save the Children Fund, Mr Peter Wigg, maintenance officer, of Wellington, and Mr Warwick i Howe, adminstration officer. also of Wellington. Qui Nhon medical facilities have been provided as a New 'i Zealand Government aid prodied since 1963. |! Contingency plans to bring ..out the volunteer team have • been ready for some time, and • the Government believed ■ until today that there was no . immediate threat from anti- / Government forces. A Government spokesman tjsaid on Thursday that it was -lunderstable that the New -[Zealanders would be reluctant to leave, particularly at ria time when medical help -(might be most urgent. ’ But, he said, the Govern- ' ment would be concerned for 1 the team’s safety. The situa- ’ tion was changing quickly, 1 and the Ministry was conM stantly in touch through the | embassy in Saigon, which (was reassessing the situation (every two hours.