HMS Mersey works with Belize Coast Guard, Defence Forces

Royal Navy River-class offshore patrol boat departed Belize where the ship’s company worked with the country’s Coast Guard and Defence Force during their Caribbean patrol.

HMS Mersey spent a few days at anchor just off Belize City where representatives from the Belize Coast Guard and Belize Defence Force trained alongside Mersey’s team of specialists.

Mersey’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Richard Hewitt also hosted the British High Commissioner to Belize, Peter Hughes and the Deputy High Commissioner, Grace Chun.

Gunnery Officer Lieutenant Will Dewing said: “Members of the Belize Coast Guard and Defence Force came onboard to find out more about how we work in the areas of seamanship, navigation and boarding operations.”

“It was a great opportunity for us to share ideas and develop a better understanding of how the other nation operates.”

HMS Mersey, the youngest of the Royal Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels, left her home base of Portsmouth in January to start a deployment to the Caribbean where she is involved with safeguarding UK interests and counter-narcotics operations.

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