As Hurricane Irma continues its devastating path across the Caribbean and onto the USA, crews from RNAS Culdrose have been delivering aid to some of the worst affected areas.
A team from the Maritime Aviation Support Force, based out of Helston, has joined Wildcat helicopter crews from RNAS Yeovilton onboard the RFA Mounts Bay, to deliver six tonnes of aid to Anguilla, with sailors, engineers, aviators and the specialist disaster relief team all working hard to do what they can.
All photos by Royal Navy/MoD
The teams then made their way to the British Virgin Islands, where they delivered clean water and medical supplies to the residents of Tortola. The largest of the islands, it was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma as it swept across the Caribbean.
The Wildcat helicopters have been taking all the supplies ashore, with her flight crew Lieutenants Amy Gilmore and Oliver Bundock working around the clock to support the devastated communities.
The hurricane, which has now reached Florida, has so far killed 25 people in the Caribbean and a further three in the US, where winds reached up to 130mph on Sunday.
The storm, which is an incredible 400 miles wide, is beginning to blow itself out and was downgraded on Monday from a category four to a category one, which dropping to around 75mph.
However, there are warnings it is now set to become a tropical storm, with "storm surge" warnings in place over the potential “danger of life-threatening inundation” from rising water moving inland from the coast.
A spokesperson for Culdrose said: "Our thoughts are with those affected by Hurricane Irma."
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