U.S. hospital ship leaves Aceh

JAKARTA: After a six-week humanitarian mission, the San Diego- based U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy left tsunami-affected Aceh on Wednesday.

Working with the Indonesian government, Mercy volunteers provided assistance to international relief organizations and host nation medical teams in the tsunami-affected areas.

They conducted a wide range of medical and dental assistance programs ashore and afloat, performing 19,512 medical procedures, including 285 surgical and operating-room cases.

Mercy will continue to operate in eastern Indonesia and throughout the Southeast Asia and Pacific region. -- JP