British paratroopers landed on a rocky golf course to deliver oxygen and medical supplies to Britain’s most remote overseas territory, Tristan da Cunha, following a suspected hantavirus case. The UK Health Security Agency confirmed on Friday that a British national had disembarked from the cruise ship MV Hondius on the South Atlantic island, where they live, with a suspected hantavirus infection.
Mission Details
Six paratroopers, a Royal Air Force consultant, and an army nurse from 16 Air Assault Brigade parachuted onto the island, which is normally only accessible by boat. An RAF A400M transport aircraft flew from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to Ascension Island, supported by an RAF Voyager, before heading to Tristan da Cunha. Oxygen supplies and medical aid were also dropped.
Tristan da Cunha, part of a volcanic archipelago in the South Atlantic, is Britain’s most remote inhabited overseas territory. With no airstrip and a population of just 221, it is reachable only by sea.
Commander's Account
Brig Ed Cartwright, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, described the operation. He noted that 7,000 miles and about 56 hours elapsed between the request for help and the arrival of parachutists and medical stores on the ground. He told Sky News: “No airstrip, high winds, very difficult to reach, and over a week for a boat, and the patient, as I understand, was on oxygen, and that oxygen supply was running out – so we had very few options.”
Cartwright added that the jump was risky due to high winds. The paratroopers had to turn into the wind immediately after exiting the aircraft to avoid being swept past the island into the Atlantic. They then descended through cloud onto a drop zone described as a “golf course covered in rocks.”
Extraction Plans
The army commander confirmed there is a plan to extract the personnel. Ships are being moved, and further medical support is being prepared to ensure safe extraction in due course.
The Ministry of Defence stated this was the first time medical personnel had been parachuted in for humanitarian support. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized that the safety of all members of the British family is the top priority, and the UK will continue working with international authorities and the Tristan da Cunha administration to ensure appropriate support.
