THE Somerset-based crew of a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter has helped "turbo charge" humanitarian efforts in Haiti after the country was hit by an earthquake. 

The crew, usually based at RNAS Yeovilton, has been assessing the damage caused by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake by surveying the area around its epicentre in the Tiburon Peninsula in the south west of the Caribbean country. 

The earthquake, which took place on Saturday, August 14, has left more than 2,000 people dead, 344 people missing, 12,000 injured and more than 100,000 homes destroyed or damaged.

The aviators are assisting the humanitarian efforts by locating villages, towns and infrastructure in need of help and are often in the air from dawn until dusk, according to the Ministry of Defence. 

Somerset County Gazette:

Task group photographer Leading Seaman Rory Arnold said: "Knowing that my work is being used to assess the areas damaged by last week’s earthquake is humbling. It’s great to see my training being used to help those affected."

The aircraft is from Royal Navy support ship RFA Wave Knight, which was sent to assist the international aid effort following the earthquake. 

The RFA Wave Knight, a flagship of the Royal Navy's Caribbean task group, has been providing fuel for US Army Black Hawk helicopters, which provide relief efforts on the ground, rest spaces for crews and a space for mechanical repairs.