The United Kingdom continues to step up relief efforts to her overseas territories in the Caribbean after the islands were struck by Hurricane Irma.

British overseas territories including the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos Islands suffered destruction, flooding, and blackouts this week.

£32 million has been earmarked by the government for the relief fund. Named Operation Ruman, nearly 300 military personnel left the United Kingdom on Friday to make their way to the devastated Caribbean islands, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence.

Departing from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, a C17, Voyager, and A400M aircraft carried over 200 Royal Marines, engineers, 40 Commando Royal Marines, and 3 Commando Brigade.

The aircraft landed in Barbados which the joint UK task force will used as a hub for distributing aid.

On Saturday, another C17 left Brize Norton carrying a Puma helicopter. Another Puma will be sent to the Caribbean Sunday.

RFA (Royal Fleet Auxilliary) Mounts Bay, with 40 Royal Marines on board, has already reached the British Virgin Islands and on Thursday was assisting in Anguilla.

HMS Ocean has been diverted from her mission in the Mediterranean, but will not reach the islands for two weeks.

A Wildcat Helicopter embarked on reconnaissance flights and her crew will help with structural repairs and restabilising communication.

The 16 Royal Engineer Commandos, deployed from Mounts Bay, are also providing key support to the British Virgin Islands.

Aid has also been supplied by the Department for International Development’s disaster response centre at Kemble Airfield in Gloucestershire, including 10,000 aid buckets and 5,000 solar lanterns.

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