Warships back after deployments

Royal Navy sailors have returned to their Devonport base for Christmas.

About 400 people welcomed the HMS Portland warship back after a six and a half month deployment to the Caribbean and North Atlantic. The ship assisted in Belize with the aftermath of Hurricane Dean and intercepted two tonnes of cocaine. HMS Northumberland is due to sail into Devonport on Friday after a four-month-long deployment in the Mediterranean and Red Sea. The ship patrolled the Mediterranean as part of a Nato's Operation Active Endeavour to prevent piracy and smuggling. The deployment included an exercise involving over 40 ships and 19,000 personnel from 12 Nato countries. During its time at sea, HMS Portland travelled 34,908 nautical miles and 40 members of the ship's company went ashore in Belize to help victims of Hurricane Dean.
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