Mounts Bay arrives swiftly to TCI, redeployed to help in illegal Haitian migrant defence

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – March 19, 2018 – As announced at the press conference held by the Hon. Premier, Her Excellency the Acting Governor, the Hon. Minister of Border Control and the Acting Commissioner of Police on Friday, 16 March, at the request of the TCI Government, the Royal Navy ship, RFA Mounts Bay, has been redeployed at short notice from regional operations and will arrive in TCI waters this afternoon, 19 March, to assist the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police and border control authorities to tackle the recent upsurge in the number of illegal sloop landings in TCI.  

RFA Mounts Bay will work alongside the TCI enforcement authorities and regional partners to boost the maritime and aerial surveillance and interdiction capability of the TCI authorities.

Commenting on the arrival of RFA Mounts Bay in TCI, Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Mrs Anya Williams said, “I am grateful that the UK government swiftly responded to the request to deploy RFA Mounts Bay to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Royal Navy ship will provide invaluable support to the RTCIPF to help detect and interdict the illegal sloops heading to TCI while we focus on our internal operations. I have been in contact with the Commanding Officer of RFA Mounts Bay, Captain David Buck, to welcome him and his crew to the Turks and Caicos Islands and to thank them for swiftly deploying to TCI. I, along with Commissioner of Police, will be meeting Captain Buck tomorrow to further discuss the ship’s operations here.”

PRESS RELEASE:  FROM THE TCI GOVERNOR’S OFFICE