Royal Navy's HMS Spey visits tiny British islands in the Pacific to deliver Covid-19 vaccines - and offer rare dental care

Personnel from patrol ship HMS Spey delivered much-needed supplies of Covid vaccines to the handful of people living on the tiny Pitcairn Islands.

The islands – which are in the middle of the south Pacific – are one of Britain’s most isolated overseas territories, famous as the last resting place of HMS Bounty and its mutineers.

Spey, fresh off her aid mission to Tonga following the devastating tsunami which destroyed much of the nation, delivered enough Covid jabs to offer a booster to every eligible person on the islands – most of whom are double vaccinated.

The vaccines were administered by naval nurse, Michaela Davies.

And in a rare opportunity for islands, Spey’s dental officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Karolyn John also went ashore to look at their teeth.

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‘Some of the islanders have not seen a dentist or undergone any dental care in about four years,’ she said. ‘As it’s a British overseas territory, we have a duty to the islands. For me it’s a unique opportunity, something I don’t think many dentists receive.

‘We’ve had some really, really busy days – sent off in the sea boat first thing in the morning, back late at night to maximize our time with the islanders, providing treatment.’

HMS Spey, which is deployed to the Indo-Pacific for five years as part of Britain’s enduring presence in the region, is the first ship to visit since the start of the pandemic and the first Royal Navy vessel to call at the Pitcairn Islands since HMS Montrose on New Year’s Eve 2018.

‘The island is beautiful – nothing that I have ever seen before, unique terrain and the islands could not be friendlier, really hospitable,’ said Surg Lt John.

Spey visited all four islands in the Pitcairn chain – Henderson, Ducie and Oneo as well as the main isle. Only Pitcairn itself is inhabited.

The islands sit in a protective zone inhabited by a number of threatened species, including humpback whales, green turtles and rare seabirds.

To protect these species, Spey carried out patrols around the islands to deter illegal fishing and hunting.

And she scooped up ocean water to send back to the UK for scientists to study.

Alasdair Hamilton, deputy governor to the Pitcairn Islands, said: ‘Pitcairn’s origin as a UK overseas territory is intertwined with our naval history, and we are delighted the Royal Navy has visited our community in Pitcairn again and supported the roll-out of booster shots.

‘This not only signals the UK’s commitment to the region, but is also an important milestone in Pitcairn beginning to open up to the rest of the world.’

HMS Spey is deployed to the Indo-Asia Pacific region, along with her sister vessel, HMS Tamar.

The deployment of the two warships follows the mission by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth which spent time in the region last year.

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