- Captain Robert Anders, who commanded a Royal Navy ship which saved lives during a devastating hurricaine in the Bahamas, died from a sudden brain tumour.
- Tributes have been paid to a heroic ship captain who saved the lives of people trapped during a Caribbean hurricane.
Tributes have been paid to a heroic ship captain who saved the lives of people trapped during a Caribbean hurricane after his sudden death, aged 49, reports Echo.
Ship Captain’s Rescue
Rob Anders came to the rescue of people in the Bahamas as captain of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay in September 2019 during a hurricane relief mission.
The area was left battered by the category five storm which ripped through homes with winds of up to 185mph and left residents homeless and without any supplies.
The Warrington man commandeered his vessel to the region and saved the life of an elderly woman as she lay trapped under rubble for four days.
The Navy man’s Glory
The Navy man, from Longford, used a Google Maps reference sent out by her desperate husband which helped save her, using a Wildcat helicopter, and also rescued an American woman and her three children, including a seven-week-old baby suffering from sepsis.
The 49-year-old, who was awarded an OBE for his efforts, died last December, three days before Christmas, the same day he was due to have surgery after being diagnosed with a brain tumour just weeks earlier.
A Final Goodbye
At the end of last month, family, friends and former colleagues from the ex-William Beamont High School pupil went aboard Mounts Bay to say goodbye to him and scatter his ashes overboard.
A service was held for the former commanding officer also attended by his widow Phillipa and the couple’s children Nell and Will, along with were the head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Commodore David Eagles.
Welcome Address To Phillipa
He said: “I am honoured to welcome Phillipa, Nell and Will onboard RFA Mounts Bay, a ship which Rob commanded with such distinction.”
“She forms the most appropriate of backdrops for us all to remember him by and commit his ashes from.”
“I am particularly pleased to be joined by Rob’s wider family and friends along with Admiral Connell in this act of remembrance.”
Helping Through the Worst
During the Bahamas rescue effort, more than 6,000 people were helped by the ship’s team in some of the worst hit areas of Great Abaco Island and surrounding region – one of the worst natural disaster in the area in living memory.
Tribute to a Good Soul
Mr Anders was well-known as a keen fan of Warrington Wolves and a Wire flag was flown from the ship during the ceremony.
His widow said: “The events onboard Mount Bay have provided us with lasting memories and my kids and I are so humbled that today has been made possible.”
“A truly wonderful tribute to a much-missed husband and dad.”
Captain’s Words after Disaster
After the disaster, Mr Anders, who also served in the Mediterranean, Middle East and South Atlantic, said: “The whole ship was united in a common aim to help the people onshore and let them know the community cared.”
“The ship’s company delivered something called hope. That is something that was visible in people on the ground, who moved from shock and loss to believing that they could rebuild.”
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Source : Echo
