HMS Albion rescues stranded Britons

20 April: A group of children from Manchester with their parents board HMS Albion at Santander Photograph: Markel Redondo/Getty Images Photograph: Markel Redondo/guardian.co.uk 20 April: A Royal Navy officer talks to passengers affected by flight cancellations waiting to board HMS Albion in Santander Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters Photograph: Vincent West/guardian.co.uk 20 April: British passengers and a member of the British embassy wait outside the ferry terminal at Santander Photograph: Markel Redondo/Getty Images Photograph: Markel Redondo/guardian.co.uk 20 April: A traveller talks to a British serviceman before boarding HMS Albion Photograph: Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Rafa Rivas/guardian.co.uk 20 April: A British soldier looks back while walking towards HMS Albion in Santander Photograph: Alvaro Barrientos/AP Photograph: Alvaro Barrientos/guardian.co.uk 20 April: Royal Navy sailors help passengers board HMS Albion in Santander Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters Photograph: Vincent West/guardian.co.uk 20 April: British soldiers from the 3rd Battalion The Rifles board HMS Albion in Santander on their way home after a six-month tour in Afghanistan Photograph: Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Rafa Rivas/guardian.co.uk 20 April: A British child waits before boarding HMS Albion destined for Portsmouth Photograph: Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Rafa Rivas/guardian.co.uk 20 April: British civilians board HMS Albion Photograph: Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Rafa Rivas/guardian.co.uk 20 April: Royal Navy sailors lend a hand to passengers trying to board HMS Albion in Santander Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters Photograph: Vincent West/guardian.co.uk 20 April: British passengers wait their turn to board HMS Albion at Santander Photograph: Markel Redondo/Getty Images Photograph: Markel Redondo/guardian.co.uk 20 April: An unlucky British passenger waits at the Santander port after failing to board HMS Albion Photograph: Markel Redondo/Getty Images Photograph: Markel Redondo/guardian.co.uk 21 April: Civilians and members of several military units arrive home at Portsmouth on HMS Albion from Santander Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Photograph: Andrew Winning/guardian.co.uk 21 April: Troops and civilians wave as they arrive aboard HMS Albion at Portsmouth Photograph: Chris Ison/Reuters Photograph: Chris Ison/guardian.co.uk 21 April: Previously stranded British holidaymakers depart the HMS Albion as they arrive in the UK Photograph: Chris Ison/Getty Images Photograph: Chris Ison/guardian.co.uk 21 April: Troops disembark from HMS Albion at Portsmouth Photograph: Chris Ison/Reuters Photograph: Chris Ison/guardian.co.uk 21 April: Troops join previously stranded British holidaymakers as they return home to the UK Photograph: Chris Ison/Getty Images Photograph: Chris Ison/guardian.co.uk