The smash-up inflicted significant damage on one ship, with a large hole seen punched into its hull.
Two UK Royal Navy minesweeper vessels collided while docking in Bahrain, with one ship caught on video as it backed into the other. A British military spokesperson has confirmed the embarrassing mishap, saying the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The crash took place on Thursday as the HMS Chiddingfold, a Hunt-class mine countermeasures ship, attempted to dock at an undisclosed location in the Gulf island state. As captured in a clip making the rounds online, the Chiddingfold was seen slamming into the bow of the Sandown-class minehunter HMS Bangor, causing a loud clatter.
An unnamed military source cited by UK Defence Journal said that teams would be sent to review the damage and create a plan for repairs. A Royal Navy spokesperson also addressed the accident in a statement issued on Friday.
https://t.co/m1KMgNLhtt pic.twitter.com/2ZauWyBacw
— fill your boots (@MilitaryBanter) January 19, 2024
“We are aware of an incident concerning two Minehunters alongside in Bahrain. There are no casualties as a result of this incident and it would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing,” the spokesperson said.
The aftermath of the incident was caught in another image, which showed a sizable hole in the Bangor’s hull.
Whoever decided to reverse HMS Chiddingfold into HMS Bangor yesterday – can’t park there
— fill your boots (@MilitaryBanter) January 19, 2024
Designed to locate and destroy naval mines, the HMS Chiddingfold is constructed of glass-reinforced plastic and other non-ferrous materials in order to reduce its magnetic signature. The Hunt-class minesweeper entered service in the 1980s, and serves a secondary role as an offshore patrol ship. It remains one of London’s primary mine-hunting vessels, and was equipped with advanced hull-mounted Sonar following a series of upgrades.
The Bangor, meanwhile, was commissioned in 2000 and is used to detect mines at depths of up to 200 meters (655 feet). The vessel took part in patrols off the Libyan coast in 2011 during the NATO intervention in the North African state, which saw the violent overthrow and murder of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi by Islamist militants. A Sandown-class Mine Countermeasures Vessel, the ship carries SeaFox naval drones used to assist mine-clearance divers during the disposal of explosives.
Dads Navy
Houthis will have a field day with these clowns
This may have been deliberate sabotage camouflaged to look like an incompetent accident.
Maybe the bridge crew knows that the exponential war is bull****, and chose to do their bit by removing their ship(s) from service, as they probably know that the vessels could be sunk in a matter of days, weeks or NLT 6 months!
Wow, they are doing it to themselves.
Its like trying to teach my kids how to parallel park.
Wth? Someone forgot to take it out of reverse
cocaine ? pot ?
Taxpayers: 😐
Lay off the rum lads.
Rum
Bum
And baccy
Held the British Navy together
Maybe a Rear Admiral?
Was Kiri Allen driving it I wonder.