British Military 'Planning Meticulously' For Hurricane Season

Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Mounts Bay and her crew conducting a Humanitarian Relief and Disaster Relief exercise in Montserrat (Picture: MoD).

The British military will provide support to the UK's Overseas Territories throughout the 2018 hurricane season, a defence minister has confirmed.

Two powerful hurricanes, Irma and Marina, caused widespread damage across the Caribbean in September 2017 with many people being killed.

Hundreds of British personnel were deployed as part of the UK's contribution to the relief efforts last year.

In March, MPs from the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said the Government should have been better prepared to help British overseas territories after the devastation caused by the storms in 2017.

Armed Forces Minister Mark Lancaster has been on the island of Montserrat to watch an amphibious demonstration by Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Mounts Bay, and confirmed to locals that support is in place for the forthcoming hurricane season: 

"No matter what the elements throw at our Overseas Territories this year, we will be there to help them every step of the way throughout 2018 and beyond," said Mr Lancaster.

"We may not be able to prevent natural disasters from occurring, but our world-class military have been planning meticulously to ensure lives are protected and damage is kept to a minimum.

"Our citizens in the Caribbean have already shown incredible resilience over the last year and we are determined that when this difficult period is over their local facilities are in a better state than they were before."

RFA Mounts Bay will act as the hub of the UK’s response, and is able to carry aid and equipment when required.

The vessel also contains ten patient beds to be used in the event of serious injury.

A Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter will be carried on board to provide aerial support.

Mounts Bay has been in the region since Irma struck and will remain there until 2020 to help restore the islands to normal.

The Government has already committed £142 million to support the recovery effort in the affected territories, as well as £300 million of UK loan guarantees.