BRADES, Montserrat – A television production crew was caught filming in the abandoned capital of Plymouth without authorization on Tuesday.
A passing helicopter pilot alerted the MVO that there were people in the Exclusion Zone. A call was made to the RMPF who responded by sea. The production team was escorted out of Plymouth by members of the marine unit of the Royal Montserrat Police Force. They have been on island filming a reality show for a US cable network since the weekend.
Dr. Paul Cole, Director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory said he has received several requests in recent days for film crews wishing to enter Plymouth to record the surroundings for various television programmes, however it is “much too dangerous to do so.”
Persons wishing to enter Plymouth and other areas of the Exclusion Zone must first seek permission from the police department, who will on the advice of the MVO authorize any visits.
At present, the only way to record Plymouth is by air or from the sea, says Dr. Cole. By sea, the boat must be in continuous motion and not at a standstill as this is not allowed.
