RFA Mounts Bay has delivered six tonnes of emergency
aid to Anguilla and will shortly arrive in the British
Virgin Islands.
The ship has been deployed in the Caribbean since July in
preparation for the hurricane season, ready to provide support at
a moment’s notice. Tasked by the Royal Navy, she was the UK’s
first military response to the Caribbean.
The ship carries a specialist disaster relief team - drawn from
the Royal Engineers and Royal Logistics Corps - as well as heavy
plant for lifting and shifting and emergency kit and shelters
provided by the Department for International Development. Also on
board are the Royal Navy’s Mobile Aviation Support Force –
aviation specialists, meteorological advisors and flight deck
crews.
Engineers were on hand to stop a potentially-dangerous fuel leak
at Anguilla’s main petrol dump, restore power to the island’s
sole hospital and hand out shelters providing temporary homes for
people left homeless by the storm. They also cleared the runway
which was declared safe for relief flights.
RFA Mounts Bay’s Wildcat helicopter – from 815 Naval Air Squadron
based at Yeovilton - also flew Governor Tim Foy on a flight over
the island - which is about the size of Plymouth - to survey the
damage from the air during seven hours of continuous flying. The
reconnaissance flight found widespread damage to infrastructure,
schools, government buildings and power supplies.
As a result of the sortie, the island’s leaders and ship’s team
decided to focus efforts on supporting the police headquarters as
the hub of the relief effort, get the hospital on its feet again,
and reinforce two shelter stations - particularly important with
Hurricane José now barrelling towards the region.
Mounts Bay’s Commanding Officer Capt Stephen Norris RFA said:
My people worked tirelessly throughout the day with
determination and flexibility to support the Governor and the
people of Anguilla.
Although Anguilla suffered extensive damage, normal signs of
life were returning - some roads open and the local population
beginning a recovery and clear-up operation.
RFA Mounts Bay is now making for the British Virgin Islands - 90
miles to the west - to concentrate today’s disaster relief
efforts.
As part of a wider military effort, Britain’s flagship HMS Ocean
has been diverted from her NATO mission in the Mediterranean to
the Caribbean to help with the reconstruction effort - as HMS
Illustrious did in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines
four years ago.
