British navy ships withdrawn from NI lake

Two Royal Navy patrol vessels which have been stationed in Northern Ireland since the 1980s have been withdrawn.

Two Royal Navy patrol vessels which have been stationed in Northern Ireland since the 1980s have been withdrawn.

Greywolfand Greyfoxwere used for counter-terrorism operations on Lough Neagh.

They are no longer needed to support the PSNI, military headquarters said.

The vessels ceased operations after a review of Royal Navy activity in Northern Ireland.

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The vessels were lifted from the lough and taken by road to Larne, Co Antrim, from where they were being put back in the water to voyage across the Irish Sea to Holyhead.

The withdrawal of the vessels is the latest move in a scaling down of Navy activity and personnel in Northern Ireland.

The Navy is also returning a jetty to the Belfast Harbour authorities after withdrawing coastal patrol vessels from the province.

The coastal patrol vessels are now based at Faslane, in Scotland, from where one of three remains on permanent station around the Northern Ireland coast.

PA