In 1970, a sudden eruption in Beerenberg forced the immediate evacuation of the station. A Hercules was dispatched to the island and successfully landed on the strip. Thereafter the Hercules became the regular military aircraft at Jan Mayen. Aircraft gradually took over more of the transport to the island, and from 1973 all supplies except diesel and special freight was transported by ship. From 1975 the 333 Squadron would occasionally drop mail and supplies using the P-3 Orion as a supplement to the landings of the Hercules.