Tonga tsunami: Royal Navy ship delivers aid
Royal Navy ship HMS Spey has delivered aid to Tonga after the islands were hit by a devastating tsunami.
The Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessel sailed into Nuku'alofa, the capital city of Tonga on the island of Tongatapu, on Wednesday.
The ship unloaded 30,000 litres of bottled water, basic sanitation and baby products, PPE and medical supplies which will be distributed to the worst-hit areas.
HMS Spey's Commanding Officer, Commander Michael Proudman, said he was "immensely proud" of his crew.
The ship will continue to work closely with the Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal Australian Navy and other allies to assist with the relief effort.
HMS Spey has now returned to sea but remains in Tonga waters, ready to help where needed in the coming days, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said.
"We wish the people of Tonga the very best in their recovery from this terrible disaster and stand ready to assist in any way we can," Cdr Proudman said.
Three deaths from the tsunami – caused by an underwater volcano eruption on 15 January – have been confirmed in Tonga so far.
Nuku'alofa, where HMS Spey unloaded the aid, is away from the worst damage but there are still signs of ash and debris coating the rooftops and trees along the shore.
Australian navy ship HMAS Adelaide also delivered supplies on Wednesday, despite crew members being infected with COVID-19.
Tonga has reported just a single case of COVID throughout the pandemic and has avoided any outbreaks.
Both aid deliveries were contactless, with Spey using its crane to unload the supplies.
HMS Spey is deployed to the Indo-Pacific region as part of a five-year mission, offering a quick response to security threats.
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