Two British Warships Collide in Persian Gulf Incident (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A collision occurred between two UK Royal Navy minesweeper vessels during docking in Bahrain, resulting in significant damage to one of the ships.
In a video capturing the incident, the HMS Chiddingfold, a Hunt-class mine countermeasures ship, was seen backing into the Sandown-class minehunter HMS Bangor.
A British military spokesperson confirmed the embarrassing mishap and stated that the cause of the accident is currently under investigation. The incident took place on Thursday at an undisclosed location in the Persian Gulf island state. The collision caused a loud clatter, as depicted in the circulating online video.
An unnamed military source mentioned by the UK Defence Journal stated that teams would be dispatched to assess the damage and formulate a plan for repairs. Addressing the accident, a Royal Navy spokesperson released a statement on Friday, stating, "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."
A subsequent image revealed a sizable hole in the hull of the HMS Bangor. The HMS Chiddingfold, designed to locate and destroy naval mines, is constructed with glass-reinforced plastic and non-ferrous materials to reduce its magnetic signature. The Hunt-class minesweeper, in service since the 1980s, serves as both a mine countermeasures vessel and an offshore patrol ship.
The HMS Bangor, commissioned in 2000, is equipped to detect mines at depths of up to 200 meters (655 feet). The vessel played a role in patrols off the Libyan coast in 2011 during the NATO intervention, which resulted in the overthrow and murder of Muammar Gaddafi by militants. As a Sandown-class Mine Countermeasures Vessel, the ship carries SeaFox naval drones to assist mine-clearance divers during the disposal of explosives.
