Argus approaching Freetown port
The British support ship, Argus, is along the coast of Sierra Leone and docks this morning at the Queen Elizabeth Quay in Freetown.
According to a UK Defence ministry source, she is here "to help defeat Ebola in he shortest possible time and will be around for months".
RFA Argus began her journey on 17th October in response to the Ebola outbreak, a process the UK is leading with hundreds of royal army engineers and medics.
The ship has Royal Navy personnel and Royal Marines onboard, along with three Merlin helicopters, aircrew and engineers from 820 Naval Air Squadron.
Shortly before leaving the UK, the ship was visited by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.
"The deployment of RFA Argus is absolutely key to that effort - not only to help save lives in Sierra Leone but also to help keep Britain safe from this terrible disease" he said.
She will offload a fleet of ambulances and other vehicles and deploy helicopters in the horizon. President Ernest Bai Koroma will be later flown onboard and taken on a conducted tour.
The arrival today of Argus and the opening of the British-built Kerry Town Ebola treatment centre are regarded as significant steps in putting the disease under control.
© Politico 30/10/14
