Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales navigates Firth of Forth bridges to reach Rosyth dry-dock
It was a job well done for HMS Prince of Wale’s navigator, as the stricken ship sailed through the busy Firth of Forth and under the waterway’s bridges as the warship heads for urgent repairs.
HMS Prince of Wales is sailing through the Scottish waters as she makes her way to dry-dock in Rosyth.
Sailors onboard the aircraft carrier captured the points at which the 184ft tall ship sailed underneath Forth Road Bridge, Queensferry Crossing, and the red Forth Bridge.
In a social media post, a representative on the £3.1bn ship said: ‘Returning to our birthplace...the fastest and safest way to be repaired and returned to carrier operations.’
The vessel broke down off the Isle of Wight in August after sailing from Portsmouth Naval Base to take part in flight trials and diplomatic visits in the US.
Inspections by divers and engineers found that the Nato flagship’s 33-ton starboard propeller had malfunctioned with a coupling holding it in place breaking.
He said: ‘Royal Navy divers have inspected the starboard shaft of the ship and the adjacent areas and they have confirmed there is significant damage to the shaft on the propeller and some superficial damage to the rudder but no damage to the rest of the ship.
‘Our initial assessment has shown that coupling that joins the final two sections of the shaft has failed.’
Her sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth changed her autumn plans to travel to the US to take over some of the planned engagements.