Fresh bid made to save former Falklands flagship

A crowdfunding bid has been launched to repatriate the former HMS Hermes.

The online campaign aims to raise £100,000 to preserve the warship, which was the flagship during the Falklands War in 1982.

The vessel has recently been decommissioned from the Indian Navy under her new name of INS Viraat.

The fundraising campaign, launched this week, has so far generated more than £1,400.

Launched by Andy Trish, the money will be used to assist ‘the founding costs of the return of the ship to the UK with additional costs being met by corporate projects.’

Hermes was commissioned in 1959. The 23,900-tonne warship is the oldest aircraft carrier in the world.

She was decommissioned from the Royal Navy in 1985 and was moved from Portsmouth to Plymouth to be refitted for the Indian navy.

To back the campaign, see crowdfunder.co.uk/hms-hermes-repatriation