The ship arrived in Nuku’alofa, the capital city of Tonga on the island of Tongatapu. The aid stores are being collected at a logistics hub as part of international aid efforts. The supplies are then coordinated and will be moved to islands near the volcano that were severely impacted by the disaster.
Tonga’s protective COVID regulations mean that sailors could not disembark the ship so all stores were moved using HMS Spey’s crane. The packaging and moving of the deliveries by crane were supported by the whole ship’s company.
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said: ” Responding to humanitarian crises across the globe is a core part of our of Armed Forces’ daily business. The crew and company of HMS Spey have demonstrated that this week by delivering this vital aid. The UK is a long-standing partner of the Pacific Islands and having the ship deployed in the Indo-Pacific meant that we could be there for Tonga in their hour of need, as the Island begins to rebuild their homes and communities”.
Nuku’alofa is away from the worst damage however there are still visible signs of ash and debris coating the rooftops and trees along the shore. New Zealand’s ship HMNZS Aotearoa and Australian ship HMAS Adelaide, carrying vital UK Aid supplies requested by the Tongan government, have arrived off the coast of Tonga and are preparing to disembark their supplies.
Commanding Officer of HMS Spey, Commander Michael Proudman, said: ”I am immensely proud of my Ship’s Company. Their flexibility, hard work, and speed of reaction in assisting our Commonwealth Friends in Tonga demonstrate the epitome of a modern, global Royal Navy, ready to respond at a moment’s notice. 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”.
HMS Spey will continue to work closely with the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, and other allies to coordinate relief efforts with the Tongan Authorities and the British High Commission. The UK has provided a liaison officer to the Australian-led International Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Coordination Cell.
