ROYAL NAVY SHIPS TO VISIT COLOMBO
PRESS RELEASE
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
Colombo, 29 July 2005: Royal Navy warship HMS YORK and her accompanying
Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship BLACK ROVER are due to arrive alongside
Colombo, Sri Lanka on 5 Aug 05. The ships will visit for 3 days before
heading further east as part of a Royal Naval deployment called VOLANS
05.
British High Commissioner, Stephen Evans, said:
"The visit of HMS YORK is a symbol of the good relations between
the UK and Sri Lanka and the strong links between our two Navies. Immediately
after the tsunami a Royal Navy Ship, HMS Chatham, and a Royal Fleet
Auxiliary, RFA Diligence, visited Sri Lanka and helped provide relief
to those affected by the tragedy, principally off the East coast near
Batticaloa. The visit of HMS York will provide an opportunity to build
on the goodwill generated by their work. "
HMS YORK'S Commanding Officer, Commander Matt Harvey Royal Navy (CV
with photo attached) said:
"HMS YORK is both delighted and very privileged to be visiting
Colombo. The visit follows a recent 4-week period at sea and my Ship's
Company have been looking forward to it immensely. For many of my sailors
this is their first trip away from home and we all feel tremendously
lucky to have the opportunity to sample and enjoy the Sri Lankan way
of life".
During the visit Commander Harvey will meet senior officers from the
Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the Mayor of Colombo. Members of the crews
will visit sights around Colombo and will play football, rugby and hockey
matches against Sri Lankan Navy teams.
HMS YORK is a Type 42 Destroyer. These form the backbone of the Royal
Navy's anti-air capability. In addition to their role as air defence
platforms these ships operate independently carrying out patrol and
boarding operations. They have in recent years enforced United Nations
embargoes in the Gulf and the Adriatic as well as providing humanitarian
assistance in Monserrat and East Timor.
HMS YORK, which is based in Portsmouth, England, left the UK on 20
Jun 05. The Destroyer is currently on a 20-week deployment and will
not return home until early November. As well as coalition operational
tasking in the Middle East, the ships will participate in a multi-national
exercise, BERSAMA LIMA, off the coast of Malaysia as the UK's component
of the Five Powers Defence Arrangement1.
RFA Black Rover is a Fleet Tanker belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Service. These ships support Royal Navy warships including through the
underway replenishment of fuel.
1The Five Powers Defence Arrangement is between Australia, Malaysia,
New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom
|
