Australia navy ship with infected crew offloads aid to Tonga

The Australian navy's largest ship has docked at disaster-stricken Tonga and was allowed by local authorities to unload humanitarian supplies despite crew members being infected with COVID-19

CANBERRA, Australia -- The Australian navy's largest ship docked at disaster-stricken Tonga on Wednesday and was allowed to unload humanitarian supplies in the South Pacific nation despite crew members being infected with COVID-19, officials said.

Nearly two dozen sailors aboard the HMAS Adelaide were reported infected on Tuesday, raising fears the mercy mission could bring the coronavirus to the small archipelago devasted by an undersea volcanic eruption and a tsunami on Jan. 15.

Since the pandemic began, Tonga has reported just a single case of COVID-19 and has avoided any outbreaks. It’s one of the few countries in the world currently completely virus free. About 61% of Tongans are fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data.

The 27,500 metric ton (30,300 U.S. ton) ship had completed the 3,300-kilometer (2,050-mile) voyage from Brisbane and would deliver supplies without contact with the local population to avoid infections, the Australian government said in a statement.