HALIFAX – Two Canadian navy ships are preparing to set out to help in the humanitarian effort in Haiti after a devastating earthquake.

A spokeswoman with the military says crew members were readying HMCSHalifax and HMCS Athabaskan to deploy Thursday for the impoverished country following the quake Tuesday.

Jeri
Grychowski says medical supplies, food, water purification tablets,
construction materials and other equipment were being loaded onto the
vessels in Halifax.

The frigate Halifax was en route to the Caribbean when it was suddenly diverted back to port.

Grychowski
says a Sea King helicopter will also be deployed with that frigate as
it travels with the destroyer Athabaskan on its five-day trip to the
island nation.

Ottawa is preparing to send more assets once it
receives assessments from a reconnaissance team which is to arrive in
Haiti today aboard a C-130 military transport plane.