THE HAGUE - The navy ship Sr. MS Karel Doorman leaves for the Caribbean Netherlands on Monday to help the local authorities during the corona crisis, the Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday. The ship, which will include medical facilities and navy units to Sint Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba, will remain in the area for three months.

According to the ministry, the Karel Doorman provides “versatile and quickly deployable capacity”. For example, the ship can help with the food supply on the islands and support the coastguard with maritime border surveillance.

The ship's medical facilities are intended to be used for non-corona-related emergency care.

In addition, two Air Force Cougar helicopters, marine units with vehicles and landing craft, will be dispatched to the Caribbean. As a result, the naval ship can also help maintain public order on the islands.

The ship has left at the request of the local authorities of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. According to the ministry, the islands have made "various requests for assistance in support of the fight against the coronavirus".