Karratha navy officer and best mate deployed together to remove World War II explosives from Pacific Countries

A navy officer raised in Karratha and his best mate have been deployed on an Australian Defence Force-led mission, HMAS Yarra, to help remove World War II-era explosive remnants of war from Pacific countries.

Under Operation Render Safe, the two will work together to help identify explosive remnants of war resting on the seabed of Tuvalu’s Nanumea Lagoon.

Lt Capelas is HMAS Yarra operations officer, with his best mate Lt Wyatt the ship’s diving officer.

The pair have served together on every ship they’ve posted to since they were both commissioned in 2019.

They were in the same New Entry Officer Course, then posted to HMA Ships Supply, Huon, Adelaide and Leeuwin together.

Lt Capelas said it was a “privilege to serve with a good mate”.

Lt Wyatt said he was surprised when he found out his best mate was deployed on the same ship as him.

“I had no idea that George was going to be on here when I got this posting,” Lt Wyatt said.

“When I found out, it felt like things had come full circle.

“We’ve done our initial training and postings together, gone away and completed our specialisation courses separately and ended up back on the same ship together”.

HMAS Yarra will work with HMAS Diamantina to identify the location and extent of explosive remnants of the war.

The operation builds on the partial survey of Nanumea Lagoon conducted by the Australian Defence Force, the New Zealand Defence Force and the United States Marine Corps in 2022.