Two Royal Navy warships collided off the coast of Bahrain on Saturday.
A video shared on social media shows HMS Chiddingford returning to HMS Bangor just off the coast of the Middle East port of Bahrain Port. BBC report.
Two Royal Navy warships collide off the coast of Bahrain. pic.twitter.com/FEc0332EDZ
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“We are aware of an incident involving two mine hunters who were operating together in Bahrain. There were no casualties as a result of this incident and we are unable to comment further as the investigation is ongoing. It's inappropriate,” a Ministry of Defense spokesperson told the program.
The Royal Navy said both ships were specialist minesweepers used to ensure the safe flow of trade in the region. Both are part of Britain's wider maritime presence. HMS Bangor is due to be decommissioned next year.
The Ministry of Defense said no injuries were reported after the vessel collision, the paper said. The cause of the crash is “still unknown”, said Rear Admiral Edward Ahlgren, commander of Royal Naval Operations.
“While we train our employees to the highest standards and strictly enforce machine safety standards, unfortunately these types of accidents can still occur,” Ahlgren said. .
He said the investigation was “already underway” and that “changes in procedures that could prevent future incidents will be implemented quickly.” (Related: Chinese warship aggressively maneuvers into the path of an American destroyer)
“In the meantime, the UK will continue to play a key role in ensuring the safety of commercial shipping in the region,” Ahlgren said.
