Linemen from Belco travelled to Jamaica to provide support for power restoration efforts to the island’s grid after the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

The group — made up of Shawn Wade, Jacari Renfroe, Malik Smith, Eusebio Blakendal, Josiah Smith, Marcus Wade, Cornell Young and retiree Kevin Santucci — left Bermuda on April 11 for the two-week mission.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, at Category 5 level on October 28 last year and caused widespread damage to the island, including its electricity infrastructure.

Belco said 17,000 customers across the island's western parishes remain without power.

It said that crews from 18 Caribbean partner utilities had been on the ground to support the Jamaica Public Service Company throughout the restoration drive.

To date, 97.5 per cent of the JPS customers are receiving power.

Belco said its team joined to support the island following a request by the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation to assist the JPS with the “last mile” of restoration.

The crew began field work on April 13 in Westmoreland, in western Jamaica.

Belco crews were called on to support the British Virgin Islands in 2017 after the passage of Hurricane Irma, which wrought a path of destruction across the Caribbean.

Belco noted that Bermuda has also benefited from the support of other Carilec utilities.

It said in 2014, a team of 19 linemen from the Bahamas, Belize, Barbados and Cayman Islands travelled to Bermuda to work alongside Belco teams during restoration efforts following the back-to-back impact caused by hurricanes Fay and Gonzalo.

Wayne Caines, Belco’s president, said he was proud of the team that travelled to Jamaica and thanked them for their service.