A Royal Navy warship is helping with international humanitarian efforts in Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Trent arrived on the island’s northern coast at the port of Falmouth on Tuesday, November 4, and landed engineers from 24 Commando Royal Engineer’s crisis response troop.
The troop and sailors from Trent have been helping repair storm damage alongside local authorities. Hurricane Melissa, a category five storm that struck at the end of October, became the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica.
The Royal Navy said the teams have been particularly focused on getting Falmouth Hospital back up and running, including helping fix boilers that had taken severe water damage.
Since landing ashore, personnel have helped hospital workers clean up buildings at the hospital and have been assessing the damage to see how they can best help.
"HMS Trent, upon the request of the Jamaican Government, landed our crisis response troop ashore to provide disaster relief in Falmouth, Jamaica," said Lieutenant Commander Paul Kilbride, Trent's Executive Officer. "We have been asked to give special attention to Falmouth Hospital.”
HMS Trent's arrival comes after the UK announced a wider package of support to Jamaica, including over 3,000 shelter kits and 1,500 solar-powered lanterns. The ship is equipped with drones to assist authorities in conducting reconnaissance of damaged areas.
Trent deployed to the Caribbean at the end of September, replacing its sister ship HMS Medway as the Royal Navy’s regional patrol ship.
