Rescuers are continuing to search for people trapped after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Port Vila on Tuesday, killing at least 14 people. Aftershocks have continued, including a 5.2 magnitude tremor on Thursday morning.
The specialist team of firefighters and volunteer doctors and engineers was due to land in Port Vila with 10 tonnes of equipment about 8.30pm yesterday (local time).
But the Defence Force said the crew was forced to divert to Noumea in New Caledonia after an engine fire warning on an old Hercules.
A second plane was due to leave this morning to recover them and take them to Vanuatu.
Other flights including a new Hercules with foreign affairs staff are being sent today, as well as a Boeing 757 to evacuate stranded tourists.
In a post on Facebook today the Defence Force said crew on a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon conducted a surveillance flight over key infrastructure sites in the capital Port Vila yesterday, such as the airport, runway and port, as well as the immediate surrounding islands. The crew would conduct another surveillance flight today.
Fire and Emergency NZ deputy national commander Brendan Nally said the search and rescue team had everything it needed to survive for at least 14 days, including desalination plants as well as construction and specialist gear to find people trapped in the rubble.
The priority was to save as many lives as possible, and the immediate plan upon arrival was to send drones into the air to survey the area.
"I know everyone's doing their best to get our people in country," Nally told RNZ's Morning Report programme today.
The team was remaining calm, which was important.
"Their main skill is removing people from entrapment and other situations in collapsed buildings."
They could also help with mapping risks for other agencies.
Nally said the team was very experienced and as well as firefighters trained in urban search and rescue, there were engineers, a medic and a doctor.
They had significant experience in rescue operations in New Zealand and overseas, and included members who helped with the Christchurch earthquake recovery.
FENZ was prepared to keep people in Vanuatu and support them there for 14 days.
Death toll expected to climb
Vanuatu Business Resilience Council chair Glen Craig told Morning Report the expectation was that at least 20 people and "hopefully less than 25" had died following Tuesday's quake.
It was not known how many people were in one of the buildings that collapsed or on the road near a major slip.
Up to eight buildings suffered structural failure of which three were pancaked, two with people inside.
Craig said local rescue efforts had focused on the two storey collapsed building in the central city.
The other, a five storey building, was beyond local capabilities, he said.
"We're trying to do as much as we can. We're not geared for a building to collapse - and it's just devastating from that point of view."
The Australian Defence Force arrived yesterday and New Zealand crews were due today.
Craig said the third collapsed building was the one that housed the New Zealand High Commission.
They were incredibly lucky to be alive. And they've just put that behind them and they're well into response."
The hospital was not coping well and medical support was needed to help with the injured. Power and electricity were back on but communications were still tricky, he said.
