U.S. Warship With Aid For Cyclone Victims Leaving Myanmar

June 4, 2008 5:57 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - A U.S. warship delivering aid to cyclone victims in Myanmar and its escort vessels will leave international waters near the country on Thursday.

The departure of USS Essex on orders of the Pentagon follows the refusal of the military rulers of Myanmar to allow U.S. helicopters to airlift relief supplies to people in the Irrawaddy Delta region, which was hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis last month.

According to a statemenf from Admiral Timothy J. Keating, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, Myanmar rejected the U.S. Navy's 15 requests for permission to fly the relief goods into the country. The junta, however, permitted limited airlifts of U.S. aid.

Myanmar's government estimated that 78,000 people died from the cyclone and that 55,000 others are missing.