Latest news with #RoyalNavy
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
New Zealand-led taskforce seizes $1b worth of drugs in Arabian sea
Photo: Kipion A New Zealand-led naval task force has made its highest value drug bust of the year, seizing $1 billion worth of drugs in the Middle East. Among the seized drugs were one tonne of heroin, 660 kilograms of hashish and 6kg of amphetamine. British Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster last week identified a suspicious sailing ship in the North Arabian Sea as part of its operations in the Combined Maritime Task Force 150 (CTF 150). The New Zealand Defence Force said Royal Marines boarded the dhow while a Wildcat helicopter with a Royal Marine sniper team covered them. Once the six crew were secured, the marines found 50 packages containing 1000 kilograms of heroin, 55 packages containing 660 kilograms of hashish and 6 kilograms of amphetamine tablets. The drugs were taken back to the ship for testing and disposal. Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster, part of New Zealand-led CTF 150, has seized NZ$1 billion worth of illegal drugs in the Arabian Sea. Photo: NZDF Lancaster Commanding Officer, Commander Chris Chew, praised his crew's motivation, commitment and dedication. "This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilising her own organic assets," he said. CTF 150's commander, Royal New Zealand Navy Commodore Rodger Ward said it was the highest value narcotics interception made since New Zealand took command of CTF 150 this year. "Conducting maritime interdictions requires a team effort from the men and women here in the headquarters in Bahrain reaching through to those out on the oceans disrupting drug smuggling operations at the coal face," he said. "I'd like to acknowledge the 210-strong ship's company from Lancaster for continuing to get amongst it day-after-day. "Everyone in the team can be proud of their efforts to disrupt the criminal and terrorist organisations that continue to use illicit narcotics to fund their activities and this is a significant blow to their revenue stream." Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster, part of New Zealand-led CTF 150, has seized NZ$1 billion worth of illegal drugs in the Arabian Sea. Photo: NZDF CTF 150 was one of five operational task forces under the Combined Maritime Forces based in Bahrain and focussed on maritime security in the Middle East, particularly disrupting drug smuggling. Collectively CTF 150 and its partners had now seized narcotics worth $1.8 billion, Ward said. "Furthermore, we estimate that our presence and the intelligence collected from our operations has resulted in the disruption of nearly three times that amount," he said. Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha was also deployed to CTF 150 over the past two months, conducting similar operations as Lancaster . Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
New Zealand-led Task Force, With Royal Navy, Seizes NZ$1b Worth Of Drugs In Arabian Sea
The New Zealand-led Combined Maritime Task Force 150 (CTF 150) has made its highest value drug bust of the year, seizing 1000kg of heroin, 660kg hashish and 6kg of amphetamine (with a street value of NZ$1 billion) in the Middle East. Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster was patrolling in the North Arabian Sea late last week, when crew identified and tracked a small cargo dhow acting in a suspicious manner. After observing the dhow using a Peregrine uncrewed aerial system, Royal Marine boarding teams boarded the vessel while a Wildcat helicopter with a Royal Marine sniper team covered them. Once the six crew were secured, the boarding team found 50 packages containing 1000kg of heroin, 55 packages containing 660kg of hashish and 6kg of amphetamine tablets. The drugs were taken back to the ship for testing and disposal. Lancaster Commanding Officer, Commander Chris Chew, says the ship's latest success was the result of his crew's motivation, commitment and dedication. 'This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilising her own organic assets,' he said. Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) Commodore Rodger Ward is Commander of CTF 150. 'This is the largest value narcotics interdiction we've made under our New Zealand command this year,' he said. 'Conducting maritime interdictions requires a team effort from the men and women here in the headquarters in Bahrain reaching through to those out on the oceans disrupting drug smuggling operations at the coal face. 'I'd like to acknowledge the 210-strong ship's company from Lancaster for continuing to get amongst it day-after-day. 'Everyone in the team can be proud of their efforts to disrupt the criminal and terrorist organisations that continue to use illicit narcotics to fund their activities and this is a significant blow to their revenue stream.' The seizure was testament to the tenacity, training and professionalism from CTF 150's Royal Navy partners, he said. CTF 150 is one of five operational task forces under the Combined Maritime Forces based in Bahrain and is focussed on maritime security in the Middle East, in particular the disruption of drug smuggling operations. Collectively CTF 150 and partners have now seized narcotics with a New Zealand street value of $NZ1.8b, Commodore Ward said. 'Furthermore we estimate that our presence and the intelligence collected from our operations has resulted in the disruption of nearly three times that amount.' RNZN frigate HMNZS Te Kaha was also deployed to CTF 150 over the last two months, conducting similar operations as Lancaster as part of New Zealand's commitment to collective security efforts in the Middle East.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Wife begged husband 'don't let me die' after crash
A woman fatally injured by a careless driver begged her husband "please don't let me die" while laying injured in the wreckage of a crash, a court has heard. Christine Jones, 68, was a minute away from her home in Thornton Hough, Wirral when the vehicle she was a passenger in was struck by a Peugeot 3008 car driven by 62-year-old Ian Ashworth. She had been visiting her mother in hospital before the collision at 21:05 BST on 14 August 2023. Ashworth, of New Heyes in Neston, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after admitting causing death and serious injury by careless driving at Liverpool Crown Court. Her mother's partner Bryn Jones, 81, who had been driving Ms Jones home from the hospital, was also severely injured in the collision Mrs Jones' husband of 50 years, Alan Jones, rushed to the scene on Thornton Common Road after his wife managed to her phone out of her bag and call him despite her injuries, the court heard. In a statement read at Ashworth's sentencing hearing, Mr Jones said: "I kissed her, promising her she would be ok. She said she was in so much pain. "She said, 'please don't let me die'. I remained with her kissing her face and holding hands." Mrs Jones, a great-grandmother, died in hospital from her injuries three days later. Her husband told the court they had met on a school bus when she was 13 and had been saving money for their 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, due two months after the crash. But he said the money had to be used for her funeral instead. "I visit her grave everyday as I don't want her to be alone", he said. "She was so afraid that evening and even managed to get her phone out of her bag to call me, desperate to see me. "How she managed to do that with those injuries she sustained I'll never know." Ashworth a former Royal Navy engineer, had been driving his Ford Fiesta and crossed into the oncoming carriageway near the Seven Stars pub. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, said neither driver had any recollection of the collision but a forensic expert concluded Ashworth's car "must have intruded into the south west lane". There was "no evidence of loss of control", said Mr Lamb. Ashworth suffered a ruptured spleen, which was removed, and fractured vertebrae and ribs. When interviewed by police, he expressed remorse and asked for his apologies to be passed on. Bryn Jones suffered fractures to his upper arm, collar bone, ribs and extensive bruising and was in hospital for more than two weeks. Darren Finnegan, defending, said that Ashworth must have experienced "a momentary lapse of concentration". Mr Finnegan said his client was in hospital for 17 days and now walks with a stick. "He has been described as a shadow of his former self," he said. Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "This is a truly tragic case. A life has been lost and another gravely affected." He said there was no suggestion that speed was a factor when Ashworth's car crossed into the oncoming lane. Ashworth was also ordered to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and banned him from driving for two years, with a requirement to take an extended re-test before getting back behind the wheel. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Tributes paid to great-grandmother killed in crash
Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Why Navantia rescued Harland & Wolff — and what it expects in return
They have a saying in Spain, says the new boss of Harland & Wolff, which translates literally as 'when you are hungry, then eat'. More figuratively, you might say 'needs must'. Donato Martinez, the newly-appointed chief executive of the newly-created UK end of Navantia, the state-owned Spanish shipbuilder, is explaining why it acquired Harland & Wolff out of administration. It was the second time the Belfast shipyard had gone bust in five years, capping a chequered history all the way back to Victorian times. The British government was in want of the three 216-metre long supply ships that it had ordered from the yard to service the aircraft carrier flagships of the Royal Navy. Navantia, already part of that contract, did not want to turn its back on a lucrative opportunity for that and future orders for Royal Navy or Border Force vessels. Yet the £93 million takeover resonates more than just political and industrial expediency. On the one hand the historic Harland & Wolff yard, home of the Titanic, has been saved and is arguably on its surest footing in decades. On the other hand, it means for the first time in the history of the Royal Navy, vessels will be built by a foreign military power. Sir Francis Drake for one must be spinning in his watery grave. The immediate goal is to get the three vessels — fleet solid support (FSS) ships in the naval argot, charged with delivering munitions, stores and provisions on the high seas — back on track. Despite a year lost to the spiral into bankruptcy of InfraStrata, the stockmarket-listed previous owner, Martinez speaking at a Navy Leaders conference in Farnborough, says the newly-created Navantia UK can deliver all three vessels to the planned 2032 timeline. Once a final critical design review is signed off this autumn, Belfast could be in production by the end of the year. The original order with InfraStrata and Navantia was controversial because of the implied amount of Spanish content, that is only 60 per cent by value of the vessels would be made in the UK. Martinez says the commitment to UK content remains but will depend on how things go: 'The key priority is meeting the delivery date.' • Ministers accused of 'backdoor bailout' for Harland &Wolff Details of 'revised terms' with Navantia on which ministers came to in the deal to sell Harland & Wolff have not been disclosed. The programme is now expected to come in at £2 billion, compared to the £1.6 billion previously quoted. Navantia says that is because of inflation on a programme priced in pre-pandemic times. Navantia has committed to spend £115 million on its acquisition which also comes with the Appledore yard in North Devon, and the offshore wind and oil and gas yards of Methil on the Firth of Forth and Arnish on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides. Harland & Wolff needs to be redesigned, new panel fabrication lines and workshops installed. Safety, environmental, maintenance, welfare and training facilities need upgrading. 'That has not been looked at for some years, for some decades in some cases,' said Martinez. 'We need to do this to build confidence and to be able to win more contracts.' Harland & Wolff will remain a ship repair and maintenance yard for the likes of Stena, the shipping line. But as a construction yard it will now only be naval, no longer chasing commercial vessel contracts in competition with China and Korea. The job is now to ramp up for the three FSS ships and win future work. 'As the phoenix rises from the ashes we need to hire. We currently have 600 people in Belfast including 170 apprentices. For FSS we will need 800 people next year and by 2029-30 [at the height of the programme] we will need 1,500.' By the early 2030s, the business across all the yards will be aiming to employ 2,000 people. Navantia UK has its eyes on the next major Ministry of Defence contract for up to six multi-role strike and support ships — vessels to rapidly deploy Royal Marine commandos and other special forces. 'We would hope to have a major role,' said Martinez of a contract whose cost is as yet unspecified but is expected to produce work for ten years. Navantia UK is also keen to develop Appledore with a capability for offshore patrol vehicles for the likes of the UK Border Force and uncrewed surface drone vessels of the future. The Royal Navy also has a requirement for floating dry docks for submarines and warships and Navantia believes Methil and Arnish have the fabrication and welding capabilities for those. The arrival of Navantia UK at Harland & Wolff creates a Big Three naval construction capability alongside BAE Systems building Type 26 warships on the Clyde and the nuclear submarines at Barrow and Babcock building Type 31 at Rosyth near Edinburgh. 'The pipeline is such that there is room for three of us,' said Martinez. 'Everybody will be busy.'
Scotsman
18 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Type 31 frigate HMS Venturer emerged from Babcock's facility at Rosyth in Fife
Type 31 frigate HMS Venturer emerged from Babcock's facility at Rosyth in Fife Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The first of five warships for the Royal Navy has been rolled out of the shipbuilding hall in a "pivotal milestone" for the project. It marks the transition from the construction phase into final preparations for the ship's entry into the water, which will take place in the coming weeks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad All five of the Type 31 warships are being built by Babcock in Rosyth, with three of the ships currently in production. HMS Venturer emerges from the workshop | Lisa Ferguson / The Scotsman Sir Nick Hine , chief executive of Babcock's marine sector, said: "For the first time, we're seeing HMS Venturer, the first of her class emerge from the build hall - a powerful symbol of UK naval ambition and sovereign capability. "It marks another major milestone in a standout week for British shipbuilding, at a time when global uncertainty demands even greater defence capability. "Right here in Scotland , we are building five complex warships in a single yard, in just a decade, true world-class performance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "This is an incredibly proud moment for everyone in Babcock and the wider programme partners. "Not only does it reflect the hard work, dedication and exceptional skills of our people, but this programme and the other work that we do here in Rosyth contribute significantly to the prosperity of the local and national economy." After the vessel has been floated off into the River Forth she will undergo extensive outfitting and systems integration in dock before undergoing sea trials and entering operational service. HMS Venturer outside the Rosyth workshop | Babcock / PA Commander Chris Cozens , senior naval officer of HMS Venturer, said: "The ship's company have seen HMS Venturer grow from the keel up inside the build hall. This will be the first time Babcock and the Royal Navy can unveil this next generation frigate to the public. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "This moment is taking the ship another step closer to where it is needed and contributing to the UK's security and prosperity." Workers watch in the Dock in Rosyth as HMS Venturer rolls out the build yard | Lisa Ferguson / The Scotsman The Type 31 project is managed by Defence, Equipment & Support (DE&S)- the procurement arm of the Ministry of Defence . Steve Ranyard , Type 31 team leader at DE&S, said: "Seeing HMS Venturer reach this pivotal milestone is a cause for celebration for all those working on the programme to make this day a reality. "The roll-out of HMS Venturer paves the way for the success of the entire fleet of the Royal Navy's Type 31 frigates.
