Royal Navy: HMS Trent rushes to Cayman Islands amid devastating Hurricane Beryl which swept over North America

Portsmouth-based HMS Trent was proactively sent to the British Oversea Territory last week due to the forecast of Hurricane Beryl. The category one hurricane hit the southern part of the United States on Monday morning, with at least eight people being killed in south-east Texas and Louisiana.

The Royal Navy has long-standing relationships with the Cayman Islands and other Caribbean nations to offer disaster relief and support citizens affected by flooding and storm damage. Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, said: “Trent remains at high readiness to support our Overseas Territories in the event of hurricane or storm damage.

“Having operated in the Caribbean since December last year, we continue our fight against illegal trafficking but my ship’s company is fully prepared to deliver aid and assistance when called upon.” HMS Trent, crewed by more than 50 sailors, departed from Puerto Rico on Wednesday and arrived in the Cayman Islands a few days later. She carried bottled water, basic emergency supplies and equipment.

The Crisis Response Troop, comprising of 24 Commando Royal Engineers and their equipment, were joined by experts in planning, information operations, meteorological forecasting, and image capture. A team from 700X Naval Air Squadron, who pilot her embarked Remote Piloted Air System, were also deployed to conduct renaissance and damage assessment.

The UK works alongside the Caribbean’s crisis response organisation, CDEMA, to support islands which are worst affected by any storms and flooding. Personnel were previously deployed under Operation Ventus for disaster relief last year, which involved food and medical assistance, the rebuilding of damaged houses and infrastructure, and the creation of flood defences.