Watch: The Chiddingfold Hits The Bangor

A video which is highly embarrassing to UK’s Royal Navy is going viral on social media, with some commenters noting that once upon a time the British navy was actually adept at sailing ships.

A prominent maritime monitoring site observes that the video shows that "Two of the navy’s elite minehunters, HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Bangor, based in Bahrain, were involved in an accident in which the Chiddingfold hit the Bangor.

HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Bangor collide off the docks of Bahrain, 18.01.24.

British defence secretary Grant Shapps recently boasted about how the UK makes up for catastrophically low military recruitment numbers with "a can-do attitude"... pic.twitter.com/5rtdMbewJo

— Kit Klarenberg (@KitKlarenberg) January 19, 2024

While no personnel were injured in the collision, it reportedly resulted in significant damage for both ships, which will undergo repairs. 

The Royal Navy provided few details, but responded to media inquiries with the following statement: "We are aware of an incident concerning two minehunters alongside in Bahrain. There are no casualties as a result of this incident and it would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing."

The UK has dispatched a team of engineers to assess the extent of the damage and to investigate the cause of the accident. 

Maritime Executive writes that "Unconfirmed comments from observers point to a likely serious mechanical malfunction which appears to be borne out in the video where the vessel appears to be reversing at speed and continues even after making contact."

The minesweeper vessels may have been deployed in a supporting role connected to the US/UK-led Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea to defend commercial shipping against Houthi attacks, given the Royal Navy said their mission was "helping ensure the safe flow of trade through [regional] waters."