Royal Navy ships sent to bring back UK travellers as flight ban remains

TWO Royal Navy ships have been deployed to help get stranded travellers back to the UK, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today.

HMS Ark Royal and HMS Ocean will be made available for the relief effort, Mr Brown said, after a meeting of the emergency planning committee Cobra in Whitehall.

Mr Brown defended the continuing flight ban saying the safety of air passengers was "paramount" when dealing with crisis caused by the volcanic ash cloud.

Speaking in Number 10 Downing Street, Mr Brown said: "I think the first thing we have got to say is the safety of air passengers is of paramount importance.

"Today we are looking at the results of test flights that have been up in the air yesterday and today and looking also at the manufacturers' recommendations, but that will be dealt with by the European Council meeting of Transport Ministers that will be held by video link later this afternoon and further decisions about when flights can go and whether flights can not go will have to be made as a result of the conclusions of these meetings."

Mr Brown was flanked by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis and Foreign Secretary David Miliband as he spoke.