Deadline extension to save last-surviving Falklands War taskforce ship HMS Ambuscade rejected
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Clyde Naval Heritage is seeking legal advice as its current deal with the Pakistan Navy is expected to be annulled
Campaigners hoping to save the last-surviving Falklands War taskforce ship have been dealt a bitter blow.
The deadline to stop HMS Ambuscade from being blown up has not been extended, with Clyde Naval Heritage seeking legal advice to try and resolve the situation. The Type 21 warship was sold to the Pakistan Navy in 1993 and renamed PNS Tariq after serving in the 1982 conflict against Argentina and on other operations.
Currently in the hands of Pakistani naval forces, a deadline of September 30 was given for the ship to be moved, or it will be disposed of. Clyde Naval Heritage have been in negotiations with the force amid plans to bring HMS Ambuscade back to Scotland and preserve her as a museum.
With the cost of towing rising exponentially due to the conflict in Iran, and shipping channels being more dangerous, the organisation asked for an extension to the deadline - which was denied. Specialist defence publication Navy Lookout said the ship could be expended as a target within weeks.
An open letter was sent to Admiral Ashraff, Chief of Naval Staff for the Pakistan Navy, asking the force help protect the ship. David O’Neil. Clyde Naval Heritage CEO, said they received legal notification from the Ministry of Defence of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The notification said the organisation needs to take over the ship by September 30, or the transfer agreement will be annulled and the ship repurposed. Mr O’Neil said: “n August we commissioned a survey of HMS Ambuscade/PNS Tariq in Karachi to assess her condition and suitability for movement to sea.
“The resulting report, which was provided to the Defence Adviser in London, identified preparatory work required for the vessel to be towed safely. We therefore requested assistance with this work so that the journey home could proceed when conditions permitted. During Admiral Ashraff’s visit to the London High Commission in early September, agreement was not reached on the requested assistance, and a four-week deadline was set for the removal of HMS Ambuscade.
“Our concern is that this timetable may not fully account for the mitigating regional circumstances that have persisted over the past three years. Accordingly, we have requested an extension until the regional situation, including conditions in the Red Sea, has stabilised sufficiently to enable safe passage. Clyde Naval Heritage will now seek legal advice on this development and determine the appropriate next steps.”
Navy Lookout said the bill for the 6,000 nautical mile transit to Scotland has ballooned to around £2m. This is due to rising insurance and transiting costs. The former HMS Ambuscade was launched on January 18.1973, and commissioned into the Royal Navy fleet on September 5, 1975.
She served as the Electronic Warfare picket ship to the Falklands War Task Force, taking part in several bombardments on Argentine positions. The frigate was targeted by two Exocet missiles, and fired chaff decoys in a effort to confuse the missiles’ seekers. These switched to SS Atlantic Conveyor and struck the ship, setting her on fire.
Plans to save the decommissioned ship and preserve her as a museum vessel were unveiled in December 2021, with the Royal Navy backing the plan in February 2023.