Belco has sent a third group of linemen to the British Virgin Islands to help bring power back to the hurricane-battered country.

The latest five-man squad from Belco travelled to Tortola in the island group last week after the islands’ power authority asked for more assistance.

Craig Brangman, team leader, said: “Our job is to put peoples’ power on and to put smiles on their face when they get their electricity.

“These people have been without power since September 3. Our job is to make sure we give them back their power.”

Mr Brangman said the crew got a warm welcome when they returned to the island.

He added: “Everyone that we knew, and the people in the areas where we are working were really happy to see us back and to have us here working.

“This is what we do and we appreciate giving power back to people who need it. It’s hard work. It’s not easy, but this is what we signed up for. This is what we are blessed to do.”

BVI was hammered by Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September.

The storms destroyed around 90 per cent of the electricity network.

About only 50 per cent of the network was restored by last month and just 45 per cent of customers have power back on.

Belco sent crews to help with the restoration effort in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes and the last returned last month.

The latest team left last Monday.

The Bermuda crew will work with the BVI Electricity Corporation for six weeks and Belco promised to continue its assistance until electricity is fully restored.

Dennis Pimentel, Belco’s vice-president of grid operations, said: “This is critical work for our fellow islanders in BVI, who 3½ months later have yet to return to a sense of normalcy following Hurricane Irma.

“It is Belco’s intention to support the restoration of BVI’s electricity infrastructure through to full restoration because it is the right thing to do.”