Royal Navy: Portsmouth destroyer HMS Diamond completes maintenance period as force addresses ship's future

HMS Diamond was spotted in the waters of her home city this morning. According to the King’s Harbour Master shipping movements, the Type 45 destroyer left the northwest wall and headed to the Upper Harbour Ammunitioning Facility at 8am this morning.

The ship exited the facility at 3.30pm, according to the shipping movements. Speculation has been circulating that HMS Diamond is being prepared for a future deployment.

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A Royal Navy spokeswoman said: “HMS Diamond’s movements are routine business and her future programme will be announced in due course.” Throughout much of 2022, HMS Diamond was deployed in the Mediterranean as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2.

The task force responds to any threats and situations in the region, and involves British ships and allied vessels. The destroyer worked alongside crews from US, Italy, Canada, Spain and Turkey for 31 days.

Crews aboard the ship saved four people from a yacht which was at risk of sinking in the English Channel near the Isle of Wight. The civilian vessel was sailing from Beaulieu River in the New Forest towards Honfleur in France.

A distress call was sent out and crews aboard the warship co-ordinated and conducted the rescue operation. Newhaven and Bembridge RNLI crews and a French Coastguard helicopter supported them, and those involved were brought to safety.

HMS Diamond has also worked alongside HMS Trent this year to provide support to the Nato fleet involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine.