UK to support Tonga Tsunami response with aid and Royal Navy Ship

The UK will redeploy a Royal Navy Ship and work with Australia and New Zealand to offer vital aid to Tonga, after a once in a thousand-year volcanic eruption caused a catastrophic tsunami to hit the islands.

UK-funded supplies will be on-board the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Adelaide, while Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has authorised Royal Navy ship HMS Spey to sail to Tonga to support the humanitarian and disaster relief effort.

In total, 17 pallets of supplies are being sent on HMAS Adelaide today.

All items provided were at the request of the Tongan government, including 90 family tents, 8 community tents and 6 wheelbarrows.

In addition, the UK has offered to fund the deployment of crisis experts through the United Nations. They would support the Tongan authorities to coordinate the international response.