The deployment of HMS Dragon to Cyprus has been embroiled in additional controversy after experiences the warship spent three days within the English Channel. The warship, which is about to assist defend British troops stationed on the island within the Eastern Mediterranean after a drone assault, set sail on Tuesday — per week after her mission was introduced.
HMS Dragon’s responder was turned off as she left Portsmouth naval base and he or she may’ve been slowed down much more as she had been scheduled to cease in Plymouth for a change of crew, experiences The Sun.
However, this was purportedly cancelled as senior officers urged the ship to push on.
The £1 billion warship is claimed to have left UK waters on Thursday.
Her journey from the UK to the Eastern Mediterranean was anticipated to take between 5 and 7 days.
The days reportedly spent within the Channel could have solely held her up additional.
It virtually definitely means she won’t arrive within the Eastern Med till greater than two weeks after a drone — believed to have been fired from Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon — hit a hangar at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus.
There had been no casualties and “minimal damage”, in line with Defence Secretary John Healey.
The Government has been below rising criticism over its readiness for battle within the Middle East.
The Royal Navy’s last vessel within the area set sail for dwelling simply weeks earlier than the battle broke out.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed HMS Dragon was persevering with her journey to the Eastern Med, including: “It’s not uncommon for ships to continue final maintenance and preparations while on deployment at sea, shortly after sailing.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2182110/new-hms-dragon-bombshell-heaps-keir-starmer