William practices on island of Montserrat

Prince William has participated in a disaster-relief exercise in the Caribbean as part of his training with the Royal Navy on the HMS Iron Duke. The Royal Navy says Prince William formed an integral part of teams sent from the ship to work with local authorities at the British Dependent Territory Montserrat on Monday.

The navy released information on the exercise Thursday. The prince led a small rescue team that responded to a simulated bus crash. In the simulation, eight people were thrown from a bus during a Category 5 hurricane. Prince William assigned tasks to his team and interacted with the islanders participating in the 90-minute exercise.

Lt. Darren Minshall, who participated in the exercise with Prince William, said it was valuable for the navy and the local authorities. "It enables us when it happens for real to be able to work together as a team and get exactly what we want _ which is to look after the population and do the best we can for them", Minshall said.

Hurricanes in Montserrat are likely from May to September, and the HMS Iron Duke's patrols the area during those months so it can provide disaster support for local authorities, the navy said. William's father Prince Charles visited Montserrat earlier this year during a tour of the Caribbean, together with the Duchess of Cornwall. © GPD AP