SOUTHAMPTON cruise ship, Oceana, has made an emergency, mercy dash to the Caribbean island of St Lucia, ravaged by Hurricane Tomas, which left a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

P&O Cruises’ Oceana was the first cruise ship to arrive in the island’s port of Castries and was able to hand-over two pallets of badly needed, mineral water, and biscuits, together with mattresses and other furniture to assist homeless people.

The British Foreign Office has warned that St Lucia is a “state of disaster in force which is likely to last until November 14”, in the wake of the hurricane, which killed 14 people and wreaked havoc when it hit the island.

Oceana’s master, Captain Mark Symonds was met by St Lucia’s Prime Minister, Stephenson King, and tourism minister, Allen Chastanet, as he presented the supplies to the local Red Cross. The Prime Minister told the captain that Tomas had “wiped out” agriculture and destroyed 100 per cent of the island’s banana crop, while the town of Soufriere was the hardest hit and water supplies remain a big problem.

Oceana came alongside Castries on Sunday, just ahead of the Holland America Line’s vessel, Noordam.

When Oceana next returns to St. Lucia the Prime Minister, together with his counterpart from Granada is expected to tour the vessel and attend a lunch hosted by Captain Symonds.

The 77,499 ton, Oceana, at present based in the Caribbean for the winter, can accommodate more than 2,000 passengers and entered service in Southampton with P&O Cruises in November, 2002.

Hurricane Tomas has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.