during this week's emergency crash exercise.

Breaks in radio frequencies meant emergency services were unable to communicate properly as they responded to a fake plane crash on Tuesday morning.

Now operations managers at the Airport are authorising engineers to re-tune their 30 radio units.

They are also planning to install a new trunking system so their frequencies can be "patched in'' with Police and fire radios.

Managers at Bermuda International Airport praised every emergency service for their response and said the Island was well-equipped to handle a major plane crash.

But they are now beginning negotiations to pay for two $15,000 tents so a field hospital could be set up on the airfield if a plane crashed in wet weather.

Doctors at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital have also arranged for a van to stay on 24-hour standby, stocked with hi-tech medical equipment in case of a disaster.

Jack Gordon, general manager for the Department of Airport Operations, said: "We have held our own de-briefing session for the crash exercise and we are now compiling reports on all the agencies who took part, which will be forwarded to them shortly.

"Everybody's response was pleasing and apart from some minor tweaking, we are pleased with our capabilities for handling a disaster.

"We now know that the Airport would cope very well if we did have a major air crash.

"But there were two areas of concern which arose and they are the need for the tents, in case of wet weather, and the need to improve our radio communications.'' Mr. Gordon said injured passengers would need cover in bad weather and the Emergency Measures Organisation was now discussing funding the $30,000 cost of tents.

He added: "Several people will be involved in those discussions, including airport executives, Police chiefs and the Deputy Governor, who chairs the organisation.'' Emergency services responded to the fake crash after being told a Boeing 767 had gone down with 140 passengers and seven crew on board, killing 18 people.