Duchess of Cambridge meets team involved in Afghan evacuation

The Duchess of Cambridge met military personnel at RAF Brize Norton

The Duchess of Cambridge has met people who helped in the evacuation of refugees from Afghanistan.

Catherine visited RAF Brize Norton and spoke to those involved in Operation Pitting, which saw more than 15,000 people, including about 2,200 children, airlifted out of Kabul during August.

More than 850 people arrived at the RAF base in Oxfordshire last month.

They were provided with food, clothing, children's toys and medical help while their details were processed.

The duchess spoke to those involved in airlifting 15,000 people out of Kabul

RAF personnel worked alongside the Royal Navy, Army, local authorities and aid organisations during the operation

The duchess met RAF air crews and medics who supported evacuees at Kabul airport, expressing her "thanks and her pride" for the work they had done.

She also commented on how some of the rescue flights included "tiny babies".

Cpl Guy Watts, who undertook seven flights to Kabul and spoke to the duchess, said: "She appreciates that some of it wasn't easy.

"And she appreciated how smoothly we managed to keep things running."

'Thrown apart'

Flt Lt Andy Bell described how flying into Kabul was "very challenging" and like a "rollercoaster ride".

He said he "had to take a bit of time out to think about things" after helping to rescue young children whose lives were "completely thrown apart, sitting in the back of a dark aeroplane being shipped halfway around the world".

Catherine also spoke to civilians and volunteers who established a repatriation centre at the RAF base.

RAF personnel worked alongside the Royal Navy, Army, local authorities and aid organisations in Afghanistan and the UK during the operation.

Brize Norton's full fleet of RAF transport aircraft was involved in the evacuation, with an RAF C17 Globemaster breaking a record when carrying 439 passengers out of Kabul.

They also carried supplies such as clothing and baby food.

Afghan evacuees arrived at RAF Brize Norton in August