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HMS Prince of Wales returns to water after nine months of repairs

Reuters carrier is refloatedReuters
HMS Prince of Wales entered the River Forth at Rosyth

A Royal Navy aircraft carrier which broke down just a few miles from its home port has left dry dock in Rosyth after nine months of repairs.

HMS Prince of Wales suffered a broken propeller shaft after it sailed from Portsmouth Naval Base in August for a diplomatic mission to the US.

The £3bn warship came to a halt off the Isle of Wight and was brought into harbour under tow.

It was then taken to Babcock's Rosyth yard in Scotland where it was built.

Fears had been raised that the 65,000 tonne vessel was being "cannibalised" for parts to be used on sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth.

However, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said this was "perfectly normal" and the ship would return to service by the autumn.

The carrier has moved out of dry dock at Rosyth and into the River Forth before it begins its journey back to Portsmouth.

MOD carrier in drydockMOD
The aircraft carrier spent nine months in Babcock's drydock

The ship's commanding officer, Cpt Richard Hewitt, said: "We are returning HMS Prince of Wales to operations as the most advanced warship ever built for the Royal Navy.

"Our sailors are paramount to ensuring our return to operations. They have approached the task of getting us back to sea with the remarkable ethos that I have come to expect from them. They are a credit to the ship and the Royal Navy."

The Royal Navy said that the ship's engineering departments had worked with civilian engineers from Babcock to fix the propeller shafts alongside BAE Systems, which was carrying out previously-planned upgrade works.

A spokesperson said: "Once the ship has completed her propulsion trials, she will bring her flight deck back to life before returning to Portsmouth to prepare for her autumn deployment to the USA."