Hundreds of sailors from HMS Dragon have been reunited with their families after a 214-day deployment protecting British bases and ships in some of the world’s most dangerous waters. The Type 45 destroyer sailed back into Portsmouth on Friday, seven months after its crew was scrambled at short notice amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Around 950 friends and family members gathered at Portsmouth Naval Base and along the city’s historic harbour walls to welcome the sailors home. Tears flowed as the crew were reunited with their loved ones.
Rapid deployment from dry dock
The deployment began when the warship was undergoing maintenance, before it was rapidly prepared to sail as part of Britain’s response to attacks in the region. Dragon went from dry dock to deployment in just days, with work normally expected to take six weeks dramatically accelerated as crews prepared the £1billion warship for action.
Around 230 sailors left Portsmouth on March 10 before the ship headed towards the eastern Mediterranean. Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in March that HMS Dragon would be deployed after RAF Akrotiri, a British military base in Cyprus, was targeted by an Iranian drone, in the wake of US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic state.
Protecting bases and shipping
Working alongside Army and RAF forces, Dragon helped provide a shield against aerial attacks on British bases in Cyprus before later being sent east of the Suez Canal. During its seven months away, the destroyer travelled more than 56,000km and visited seven countries, with stops including Cyprus, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the Seychelles, Kenya and Malta.
The ship also passed through the Bab el Mandeb Strait at the foot of the Red Sea, where vessels have faced missile and drone attacks from Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. Dragon was later positioned to potentially help protect shipping as part of a proposed international mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Commanders praise crew
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said: “HMS Dragon’s seven-month deployment has shown the Royal Navy at its best. Deployed at short notice, her crew have protected our bases on the island of Cyprus, safeguarded shipping and worked closely with our allies across the Mediterranean and Middle East.”
Royal Navy Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse, added: “The resilience, professionalism and fighting spirit of Dragon’s ship’s company throughout the last seven months have been outstanding.”
