British minesweepers return home after 3 years of deployment at the Persian Gulf

British minesweeper HMS Ledbury (Pennant Number: M30) returned to Porsmouth on 11th September after more than 3 years deployment at the Persian Gulf. Another minesweeper HMS Blyth also returned to Faslane from the same mission, the Royal Navy announced.

The two Royal Navy minehunters completed the 6,000-mile journey from Bahrain where they’ve spent more than 1,000 days protect shipping, keeping sea lanes open and working with the UK’s allies and partners in the region.

The two Royal Navy minehunters completed the 6,000-mile journey from Bahrain where they’ve spent more than 1,000 days protect shipping, keeping sea lanes open and working with the UK’s allies and partners in the region.

The Blyth and crew were greeted by a small flotilla of boats, including Royal Marine craft from 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group and a Clyde-based tug, as well as waving loved ones gathered at the Rhu Narrows.

Like Blyth, Ledbury was welcomed warmly. Their deployment saw the ship spend 116 days at sea, with their anti-mine drone Seafox launched on 57 occasions, and 88 dives carried out by the ship’s clearance diving teams – at a time of particularly high regional tensions in the Middle East.

HMS Ledbury will now undergo a period of maintenance by BAE Systems at HMNB Portsmouth, while the crew will move into another Hunt class vessel after taking leave.

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