A Royal Navy disaster relief ship will drop anchor in Bermuda on Sunday to take on stores, it was revealed yesterday.

RFA Argus, part of the RN’s Merchant Navy support fleet, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, will resupply on Sunday before it steams to the Caribbean.

A spokeswoman for Goverment House emphasised: “This will be done without any direct contact between shore personnel and the ship’s crew.”

She added that Argus’s two helicopters will carry out familiarisation flyovers of landing sites across the island.

The spokeswoman said: “This was last done in 2014 and is a key part of the hurricane preparedness plan for Bermuda.”

The helicopters will not be allowed to touch down.

The Argus, which will be the hurricane relief ship for the season, was sent to the Caribbean region early because of the Covid-19 crisis.

She will join HMS Medway, the present Atlantic Patrol Task (North) ship, which is already on station in the Caribbean.

The ship is expected to steam south on Monday.