A member of the RSAF Peace Prairie detachment waits for the right moment before releasing sandbags over the damaged levee during the Hurricane Katrina relief operations.

The four Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Chinook helicopters and 41 personnel deployed to Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina relief operations have completed their mission. Together with elements of the Texas Army National Guard (TXArNG) with whom they had worked side by side on this mission, the RSAF contingent returned to their training detachment at Grand Prairie, Texas this evening. During their week-long relief mission, the RSAF’s Chinooks flew more than 80 sorties and transported over 800 evacuees and security personnel, and more than 540 tonnes of equipment, humanitarian supplies and sand.

Deemed as one of the worst natural disasters in America's history, Hurricane Katrina tore through the southern states of Louisiana and Mississippi on 29 Aug, killing over a thousand people and wrecking countless homes.