Royal Navy aircraft carrier heading back to shore after an issue with its propeller shaft
The Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier is returning to shore after encountering a mechanical issue shortly after departing from Portsmouth Naval Base. The 65,000-tonne warship had left port on Saturday, bound for training exercises off the US coast, but was forced to slow its journey after a problem emerged with its propulsion system.
The £3 billion vessel had already faced a delay on Friday due to a technical fault, and it remains unclear if these two incidents are connected. According to reports from Navy Lookout, the damage is thought to be related to the starboard propeller shaft, though the Ministry of Defence has yet to confirm the exact cause.
The issue was first noticed when the carrier left Portsmouth, as photographs showed a wake only on one side, indicating a fault with one of its propellers. Unless repairs can be carried out at sea, the warship may need to dock in Rosyth, Scotland, for emergency repairs—months ahead of its scheduled inspection in 2023.
On Monday afternoon, the vessel was seen slowly moving from the Isle of Wight towards Stokes Bay, Gosport, where it is expected to be in a more sheltered location for divers to assess the damage.
A Royal Navy spokesperson stated: “HMS Prince of Wales remains in the South Coast Exercise Area while investigations are ongoing into the emerging mechanical issue.”
The warship had departed amid a lively send-off, passing the Victorious Festival at Southsea Common, Portsmouth, with thousands of festival-goers watching as Sugababes performed.
The Nato flagship was initially on its way to undertake joint training with the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and Royal Canadian Navy, which includes exercises with F-35B Lightning jets. The mission aims to push the boundaries of unmanned technology and the operational capabilities of the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
Despite the setback, the Royal Navy remains confident that both aircraft carriers will continue their global missions, with the HMS Queen Elizabeth also set for deployment in the Mediterranean and Baltic later this year.
