Royal Navy: Three HMS Prince of Wales sailors arrested in Holland for drunk and disorderly - national reports

As reported in the Daily Mail, three personnel from HMS Prince of Wales were detained in Rotterdam, South Holland this week. The 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier was leading the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) on Exercise Steadfast Defender - Nato's largest operation since The Cold War. Other operations included Exercise Joint Warrior and Exercise Nordic Response. She left HMNB Portsmouth on February 12.

The national publication said the British servicemen were each arrested on three separate occasions. They added that one sailor was tasered on Monday night (March 18). The Daily Mirror, who made the initial report, said the sailor is facing charges of being drunk in public and allegedly injuring two local police officers in Rotterdam City Centre, and will subsequently go through the Dutch court system. The national tabloid said other UK sailors may have been involved in the confrontation, but were not arrested.

The second Royal Navy man was detained on the same evening from Monday to Tuesday, and is being held by UK military police. He has been charged with being drunk and in possession of a suspected “hard drug, possibly cocaine”, Dutch Military Police said. Local military police sources told the Daily Mirror that the suspected hard drug is being tested.

Both the first two incident are separate, with the second man currently in custody with Royal Navy Police on HMS Prince of Wales; he's expected to go through the British court system. The third sailor was arrested on Wednesday (March 20) on suspicion of being drunk in the city centre, and failing to produce an ID card. The man was released without charge, but force to pay a fine. He has resumed his post on the aircraft carrier.

The Daily Mirror said they were "junior sailors" from the lower ranks on board the ship, and were dressed in dressed in civilian clothes when they were arrested. Captain Mike Hofman, a Dutch Military Police spokesman, said the incidents are being treated "as serious because they are unusual", and patrols have been stepped up to prevent further incidents. A Royal Navy spokesperson told The Daily Mail that the force is "aware of all the alleged incidents which are under investigation", and it would be inappropriate to comment further.