A sorry end: Queen's former flagship HMS Invincible arrives in Turkey to be scrapped

Former Royal Navy flagship HMS Invincible has arrived at the Turkish port where she is due to be scrapped. The ship, which was decommissioned six years ago, now rests in the port of Aliaga where engineers have been preparing to turn her into thousands of one metre square blocks of steel. She could eventually be recycled into girders for buildings, bridge cables even chairs or even razor blades.

The Ministry of Defence awarded Turkish shipbreaking company Leyal the contract to scrap the Invincible in February this year, after an eBay style online auction.

 

Leyal boss, Dimitri Ayvatoglu explained the process for scrapping the pride of the royal fleet: 'There are a lot of protocols to follow,

'This next week will be just for safety checks of the remains of the ship. 

'We will be checking for any hazardous substances or explosive material.

'Then all the safety measures have to be implemented - we'll pump oxygen inside - ensure lighting, ventilation, and constant water supply in case of fire.'

Launched by the Queen in 1977, HMS Invincible was the flagship of Britain’s Falklands War campaign.

Half a million people turned out to welcome her triumphal homecoming in 1982, including the Queen herself. She was there both as Head of the Armed Forces and proud mother. Prince Andrew was on board as a helicopter pilot.

Last month just 50 turned out on the quayside at Portsmouth to see Invincible off on her final voyage. The Royal Navy had made no announcement about the farewell and did not even lay on a piper.

It fell to a lone standard-bearer from the Royal British Legion and a few well-wishers to pay tribute.

Leyal engineers have also dismantled several other high profile British naval vessels - including Type 42 destroyers HMS Cardiff, HMS Newcastle and HMS Glasgow - at their ship graveyard near the city of Izmir.

The company website boasts that the five hectares of land dedicated to dismantling is capable of handling 100,000 tons of shipping a year.

Leyal's breaking yards are located in the industrial heartland of Turkey - next to the steel mills of Aliaga, which melt down high grade steel to be sold on to European manufacturers.

Turkey produces two million tons of steel a year and is the tenth largest steel 'producer' in the world - even though almost all of it comes from scrap.

Source: Daily Mail. 13 April 2011

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