Islam Times - UK Navy Aircraft Carrier Postpones Mission After Crew Test Positive for Coronavirus

UK Navy Aircraft Carrier Postpones Mission After Crew Test Positive for Coronavirus

Islam Times - The UK Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth flagship won't sail after crew members tested positive for COVID-19.

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has postponed its sailing from Portsmouth Naval Base after seven crew members tested positive for COVID-19, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed, the Daily Mail reported.

Around 100 further members of crew are isolating onboard because they have been in contact with positive cases.

Infected crew members have been removed from the ship and will continue to isolate.

If the new tests give the all-clear, the ship will set sail on Tuesday for two weeks.

The £3 billion warship was set to leave Portsmouth Historic Dockyard this afternoon for training exercises but the departure was put on hold at the last moment.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that 'fewer than 10' members of the 1,000-strong crew had tested positive for the coronavirus and had been taken ashore to be put into isolation in barracks.

Other sailors who had contact with their infected crew-mates will isolate on board the 65,000 ton ship which is expected to leave Portsmouth as soon as Tuesday.

It is the second time the carrier has had to postpone its sailing after two crew members tested positive for COVID-19 in April.