2 British Royal Navy minehunters collide in Persian Gulf
British Royal Navy minehunters collide in the Persian Gulf (photo: twitter.com/HMSBangor)
Two minehunters, HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Bangor, of the Royal Navy's British military fleet collided in the waters of the Persian Gulf based in the Kingdom of Bahrain, according to the UK Defence Journal.
No one was injured as a result of the incident involving the two minehunters in Bahrain.
"We are aware of an incident concerning two Minehunters alongside in Bahrain. There are no casualties as a result of this incident and it would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing," said a representative of the British Royal Navy.
Based on the published video of the collision, HMS Chiddingfold collided in reverse with HMS Bangor, which was docked nearby.
Among the main tasks of the minehunters of the HMS Bangor and HMS Chiddingfold classes are mine searching, coastal patrolling, protection of seas, and ensuring maritime safety.
It is noted that these small minesweepers have hulls made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, allowing them to conceal their presence from sea mines. Their sonars can detect and classify objects at a distance of more than 1 km, enabling them to clear the path of mines and ensure safe passage for larger forces.
Britain's minehunters for Ukraine
In early December 2023, the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom confirmed the transfer of two Sandown-class minehunters to Ukraine for demining from the Royal Navy.
However, in early January, Turkiye refused to allow the ships to pass through its Bosporus and Dardanelles straits until the end of Ukraine's war with Russia. Ankara referred to Article 19 of the Montreux Convention on the regime of the straits, which prohibits the passage of military vessels from parties to a conflict.
The Ukrainian Navy did not see Ankara's decision as a betrayal and noted that they did not request passage for the British minehunters, taking into account the provisions of the Montreux Convention.
