HMS Westminster returns after Covid-19 mission

HMS Westminster was almost completely cut off from outside contact

A UK warship that "jealously guarded" it's coronavirus-free status has returned home.

HMS Westminster covered 17,500 nautical miles on a three-month mission and arrived in Portsmouth on Wednesday.

The Royal Navy ship was almost completely cut off from outside contact to avoid any of its crew contracting Covid-19.

Lt Cdr David Armstrong, HMS Westminster's executive officer, called it a "really successful deployment".

He said: "We've been doing our job but doing it in a slightly unique way and making sure that we are definitely available should there be any operational tasking required.

"In late April we closed ourselves off from the rest of the country, held our breath for two weeks as we worked out whether we were infection-free and from the moment we discovered we were, we were available to Fleet with no worry that we would need to bring ourselves alongside with infection.

"We then jealously guarded that status."

'Extra stress'

The Type 23 frigate's 110-day deployment included monitoring nine Russian warships near UK waters, and exercises with other Royal Navy units, the RAF and Nato allies.

It also conducted deck landing training and qualified three Wildcat pilots, though they were not allowed out of their helicopters to avoid any risk of Covid-19 transmission.

During routine stops there was a fenced-off area on a jetty for crew exercises.

The only planned port visit that still went ahead during a Nato anti-submarine warfare exercise was to Reykjavik in Iceland, because of its low number of Covid-19 cases.

Lt Cdr Armstrong said: "We haven't seen our friends and family for that length of time, which is unusual, and the extra stress of Covid-19 has made it a more challenging.

"Keeping the ship's company collegiate when no-one gets the opportunity to step ashore and take any respite has been a challenge."