Aust sends 2 helicopters to Vanuatu

Two Australian Army Black Hawk helicopters are heading for cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu to assist in relief operations.

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews said the two helicopters would travel to Vanuatu aboard a RAAF C-17 transport aircraft.

He said they would be used to transport equipment and people in outlying areas of the country.

There are now 78 defence personnel on the ground in Vanuatu, with another 335 expected to arrive early next week on board the transport ship HMAS Tobruk.

Tobruk will deliver engineering, medical and transport equipment, a MRH-90 helicopter and a pair of landing craft for use in the growing humanitarian relief mission.