£100,000 of damage as minesweeper docks in Bahrain

A Royal Navy minesweeper has been damaged after it crashed while trying to dock at a naval base in Bahrain.

HMS Chiddingfold twice struck another warship causing damage to its hull.

The Hunt-class mine hunter suffered approximately £100,000 of damage and will take several months to repair, according to the Daily Mail.

The Royal Navy says the incident on March 16 was caused by ‘wind, tide and equipment failure’.

According to The Sun it was the lieutenant commander’s first try at docking HMS Chiddingfold in the dark.

The incident came less than a week after the experienced officer took over the Hunt-class minesweeper.

“He slammed her into reverse, but it was too late. Chiddingfold’s side hit HMS Penzance,” a source told the paper.

“She swung out and hit her again.”

There were two deafening bangs as the impacts tore a hole in the 700-ton ship.