The £3bn aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales left Portsmouth on Saturday but “a mechanical failure was discovered on the starboard shaft”, said Vice-Admiral Steve Moorhouse. Its journey to the US had just begun before the ship had to be towed back to Hampshire, accompanied by tugs, from a position off the Isle of Wight. Divers will be able to use a sheltered bay, believed to be in Gosport, to assess the problem – which specialist news website Navy Lookout called a “significant technical fault”. Rear Admiral Moorhouse said in a video statement on Twitter that it was “likely that the damage will require repairs which may affect the ship’s schedule”. Image: The ship has reached the east coast of the Isle of Wight He said more details about the problem and the disruption of the ship’s route would be released after further inspection. “We have reacted quickly to the resulting flaw and are working closely with industry partners to resolve it as quickly as possible,” said Vice-Admiral Moorhouse – who is responsible for ensuring the Royal Navy’s ships are ready to deploy. HMS Prince of Wales acts as a NATO command ship and was headed to North America for exercises with the US and Canadian navies and the US Marine Corps. Fifth-generation F-35B Lightning aircraft and Banshee drones were expected to operate from its deck, and its itinerary included New York, Halifax in Canada and the Caribbean. The Royal Navy had described it as a “landmark mission”. Image: HMS Prince of Wales pictured in February Image: The F-35B Lightning can operate from the ship Its breakdown soon after launch is an embarrassment for the Royal Navy, especially as the 280m long ship was commissioned only last year. The ship’s departure had been delayed earlier on Friday due to a technical problem, although it is not known if the incidents are related. HMS Prince of Wales can carry 36 F-35B Lightning jets and four Merlin helicopters, with a crew of around 700, rising to 1,600 when all aircraft are on board. The jets were to join the ship in the US.
