HMS Queen Elizabeth: Huge aircraft carrier scheduled to leave Portsmouth after unexpected return

The 65,000 tonne warship returned to her home port on Sunday, arriving back early from her deployment in the Norwegian and North Seas with aircraft across her flight deck. She is leading the UK Carrier Strike Group, with sailors undertaking vigorous training exercises with allies from Nato and the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) – as well as the RAF on strike missions.

NOW READ: HMS Queen Elizabeth returns to Portsmouth early

According to the KHM shipping movements, the vessel is scheduled to leave the Princess Royal Jetty at 2.45pm. Rumours swirled across social media that the carrier had developed a mechanical fault to its lift.

This has yet to be confirmed by the Royal Navy. As previously reported in The News, a spokesman said: “HMS Queen Elizabeth has returned to port for a logistics stop and a short period of maintenance.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth initially left Portsmouth for the Autumn deployment on September 8.