A Royal Navy aircraft has helped to 'turbo charge' humanitarian aid efforts in Haiti after the country was hit by a devastating earthquake that has killed more than 2,000 people.
The Ministry of Defence said the crew of a Wildcat helicopter, usually based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, have been assessing the damage by surveying the area around the epicentre of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in the Tiburon Peninsula in the south west of the Caribbean country.
The aviators in the helicopter are locating villages, towns and infrastructure in need of help and are often in the air from dusk to dawn, according to the Ministry of Defence.
'Knowing that my work is being used to assess the areas damaged by last week's earthquake is humbling,' task group photographer Leading Seaman Rory Arnold said.
'It's great to see my training being used to help those affected'.
A Wildcat helicopter, usually based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, have been assessing the damage by surveying the area around the epicentre of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in the Tiburon Peninsula in the south west of Haiti
The aviators in the helicopter are locating villages, towns and infrastructure in need of help and are often in the air from dusk to dawn, according to the Ministry of Defence
On Tuesday, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said the UK had sent 20 metric tonnes of aid items to Haiti following the earthquake
The aircraft is from Royal Navy support ship RFA Wave Knight, which was sent to bolster the international aid effort following the disaster on August 14
The aircraft is from Royal Navy support ship RFA Wave Knight, which was sent to bolster the international aid effort following the disaster on August 14.
The earthquake has so far left more than 2,000 people dead, 344 people missing, 12,000 injured and more than 100,000 destroyed or damaged homes.
The RFA Wave Knight has been providing fuel for US Army Black Hawk helicopters, which are involved in relief efforts on the ground and providing rest for crews and a space for mechanical repairs.
The Royal Navy ship is a flagship of the Royal Navy's Caribbean task group, which also includes the patrol vessel HMS Medway.
On Tuesday, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said the UK had sent 20 metric tonnes of aid items to Haiti following the earthquake.
The earthquake has so far left more than 2,000 people dead, 344 people missing, 12,000 injured and more than 100,000 destroyed or damaged homes
The quake struck Haiti amid a period of extreme political upheaval following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month which led to rising levels of civil unrest
Recovery efforts have been impeded by flooding and damage to access roads, feeding tensions in some of the hardest-hit areas
The shipment, which is due to arrive in Haiti early on Wednesday, included shelter kits and solar powered lanterns for up to 1,300 families, with more such support to follow later in the month.
The items are arriving as part of the £1m in support to Haiti announced by the UK Government last week.
The quake struck Haiti amid a period of extreme political upheaval following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month which led to rising levels of civil unrest.
Recovery efforts have been impeded by flooding and damage to access roads, feeding tensions in some of the hardest-hit areas.
Tropical Storm Grace battered the south of Haiti on August 15 and 16, preventing rescuers from carrying out extensive rescue missions and officials said some areas were hit by several inches of rainfall before the storm moved on.
Exasperation over delays in assistance has boiled over, with residents looting food packages and gangs hijacking aid trucks in an attempt to round up supplies for profit.
