The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Mounts Bay remained docked in Road Town for an extra five days this week because of a “technical difficulty,” according to the ship’s captain.
The landing vessel was due to head off to Anguilla in the next leg of its tour of the United Kingdom’s overseas territories in the Caribbean on July 25.
However, problems with the ship’s chilled cooling water system meant that the voyage was delayed until Sunday, when repairs were complete.
“RFA Mounts Bay’s departure has been delayed for a number of days whilst a spare part is sourced and flown out from the UK,” explained Captain and Commanding Officer Christopher Clarke.
He added that the crew took part in several extra activities to make the best use of the “unplanned additional time” in Road Town.
They included further helicopter and police operations and work with members of the territory’s Disaster Management Team, he said.
Last week police recorded the locations of about 15 small cannabis fields during a flight of the ship’s Wildcat helicopter over Tortola and Virgin Gorda.
The Mounts Bay is set to spend the next three years in the region assisting with disaster relief and counter-narcotics operations.
Spanning 176 metres and weighing more than 16,000 tonnes, the 10-year-old civilian-manned vessel supports a crew of about 160.
It is one of three RFA landing ships owned by the UK’s Ministry of Defence, designed specifically for tactical sealift, routine freighting duties and logistic support.
Mounts Bay has already visited the Cayman Islands and will go on to dock at Anguilla, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The ship is delivering two police vans to the Royal Anguilla Police Force.
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