Navy ship holed in crash

Published on Tuesday 3 December 2002 00:00

THE Royal Navy has launched an inquiry after a minesweeper was holed in a collision as it left port, it was disclosed today.

The HMS Cattistock was left with a two-foot hole in its hull after colliding with a jetty as it was leaving its home base at Portsmouth.

The Ministry of Defence sought to play down the accident, describing it as a "relatively minor incident".

None of the the vessel’s 42 crew was hurt in the collision on Saturday, November 23. Nevertheless the Cattistock, one of just 11 Royal Navy minesweepers, is currently out of action while repairs are being carried out.

The accident follows a series of embarrassing incidents involving Royal Navy vessels.

Last month the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Trafalgar ran aground off the Isle of Skye.

In July, the Type 42 destroyer HMS Nottingham almost sank after hitting rocks off Lord Howe Island, 200 miles off the coast of Australia.

Repairs being carried out on the Nottingham are reportedly set to cost at least 50 million.