DAVID WHITE/STUFF
The HMNZS Te Kaha awaits docking at Devonport Naval Base after arriving from Canada. Te Kaha announced its arrival with a rumbling 27-gun salute which was returned by the base to acknowledge the Commander of the ship. Once berthed, the Te Kaha crew performed a haka, before the Commanding Officer s family were first on board.
DAVID WHITE/STUFF
Family and friends lined the Devonport Naval Base with signs and balloons eager to see their loved ones. Brock Symmons has been away from his family for six months and missed out on the birth of his baby girl Maggie, 12 weeks ago.
The crew has been in lockdown in Canada since June, and after a 21-day journey, they can now look forward to a COVID-19-free summer. This ship s been away for over 1000 days, some of these sailors have been away for 18 months - that s a really long time. So they ll be looking forward to their families coming home, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor says.
After the toughest gig of them all, Captain Brock Symmons got an extra-special welcome home gift - getting to meet his new baby Maggie for the first time. It s really cool to come home and have an expansion to the family, he says.
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Watch as HMNZS Te Kaha s crew perform stirring haka for whānau after ending tour in time for Christmas • Source: 1 NEWS
Crew from HMNZS Te Kaka performed a stirring haka for whānau yesterday after docking at Auckland s Devonport Naval Base after months at sea.
Your playlist will load after this ad Hundreds lined the shore to welcome home the 140 crew, who have effectively been in lockdown conditions since June. Source: 1 NEWS
Hundreds lined the wharf to welcome the 140-strong contingent, who had been in effective isolation since the middle of the year.
Some crew had been away from home for over a year. Te Kaha had been in Canada getting systems upgraded.
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