Royal Navy’s Caribbean Task Group Practises Volcano Rescue Mission The task group is in the region to support British Overseas Territories during hurricane season and carry out counter-narcotics operations.

 27th October 2020 at 3:02pm

The Royal Navy’s Caribbean task force has practised a volcano rescue mission in the region.

RFA Argus’ dedicated Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief team of soldiers and Royal Marines played out how they might help the island of Montserrat should the Soufrière Hills volcano erupt.

During the exercise, the Crisis Response Troop landed ashore in the deserted wilderness zone on the south side of the island – an area still off-limits to locals following eruptions from the volcano more than 20 years ago.

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The Commando Helicopter Force flew in a specialist team to set up a mobile landing site, dropping from Merlin helicopters by rope.

Teams of combat engineers and medics from 24 Commando Royal Engineers and small teams from 47 Commando Royal Marines and 3 Commando Brigade also flew in to provide support.

Commander Kate Muir, who is in charge of the UK task group in the Caribbean, said the volcanic area provided her team with "an exceptional opportunity to refresh its disaster relief skills".

She said: "Although we could not meet with anyone from Montserrat, we were really pleased to be able to support the volcano observatory with some photographic survey work."

RFA Argus alongside HMS Medway off the coast of Montserrat in the Caribbean (Picture: Royal Navy).

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When the Soufrière Hills volcano erupted in 1995, it destroyed Montserrat's airport, made the capital of Plymouth uninhabitable and resulted in two-thirds of the population fleeing.

At the time, Royal Navy destroyer HMS Liverpool assisted with the evacuation of islanders to the north side, although two-thirds of the population emigrated to the UK.

A new airport has since been built and the new capital of Brades has been established, however, the volcano continues to smoulder.

As the exercise drew to a close, RFA Argus was joined by the other ship in her task group, Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Medway which is permanently stationed in the Caribbean.

The ships are in the region to support British Overseas Territories during hurricane season and also carry out counter-narcotics operations.

The 2020 hurricane season – which ends in November – has been the second busiest on record, the Navy said.

Cover image: A Merlin Mk4 of 845 NAS lands in Montserrat's exclusion zone with the smoking Soufrière Hills volcano in the background (Picture: Royal Navy).