Navy ships crash blamed on rewiring error

TWO Navy warships crashed into each other because one was incorrectly rewired so it reversed instead of going forward, sources have claimed.

The minehunter HMS Chiddingfold smashed into HMS Bangor in Bahrain on Thursday after it failed to moor alongside it, leaving HMS Bangor with a large rip along its side.

Sources have told The Telegraph that HMS Chiddingfold accidentally reversed as a result of “faulty engine controls producing astern instead of ahead”. According to The Guardian, the vessel’s motor was “wired incorrectly”, which caused full ahead to give “full astern”. On Sunday, Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, said: “We don’t say it’s incompetence when we see an aircraft come down ... It’s right to leave the investigators some time to work out exactly what’s gone wrong.”

The Navy confirmed it had launched an investigation into the collision last week, but said it would not comment while that was underway.

But another Navy source said: “I can’t think of a single way that you could leave the wall with the engines reversed and not notice immediately.

“In fact, if they had a double engine change, you’d test everything whilst still alongside first. It’s inconceivable that this would have been missed.”

The incident has left at least one of three British minehunters in Operation Kipion – the air and maritime presence of British Forces in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean – out of action.

Rear Adml Edward Ahlgren, commander of operations, said that “nobody was hurt in the collision, but some damage was sustained”.

It comes as Lieut Gen Sir Robert Magowan, deputy chief of the defence staff, told MPS on the public accounts committee: “Crewing is definitely an issue within the Royal Navy, we accept that.”