Government say airlift of citizens was not possible

Downing Street has again defended its response to the hurricane.

Asked why the UK had not airlifted its citizens out of the area before the hurricane struck, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said yesterday: “We are talking about a huge number of British citizens who are in the path of this hurricane, and we are doing everything we can to help them.”

The spokesman rejected suggestions that the UK authorities failed to prepare for the disaster.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay had been positioned in the area in advance in order to be able to provide swift relief, he said.

“Rfamountsbaywasnot in the region by chance,” said the spokesman. “It was pre-positioned there in July ahead of hurricane season.

“What that meant was that DFID (Department for International Development) aid supplies, specially trained military personnel and a helicopter were in the Caribbean when Irma hit, and they could start getting to Anguilla as soon as the hurricane passed.”

He added: “We were prepared for this and we responded quickly.”