Australian ship on way to Brisbane to load aid for Tonga

A Royal Australian Navy ship was on its way to Brisbane to prepare for humanitarian support if requested by the Tongan government, following the huge undersea volcanic eruption. The ship sailed from Sydney Harbour on Monday.   

New Zealand and Australia were able to send military surveillance flights to Tonga on Monday to assess the damage in the Pacific island nation. A towering ash cloud since Saturday's eruption had prevented earlier flights.  New Zealand hopes to send essential supplies, including much-needed drinking water, on a military transport plane Tuesday.