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HMS Scylla (F71)
Encyclopedia
HMS Scylla (F71) was a Leander-class
frigate of the Royal Navy
(RN). She was built at Devonport Royal Dockyard
and was the last RN frigate to be built at the Dockyard so far. Scylla was launched in August 1968 and commissioned in 1970. It was the start of a long and eventful career that ended with her sinking as an artificial reef
in 2004.
She came into to the public limelight in 1973 when she collided with the Torpoint ferry
. That same year, Scylla took part in the Second Cod War
during the fishing dispute with Iceland
. She performed patrols against harassment on fishing boats by any Icelandic vessels. During that 'war', Scylla was rammed by the Icelandic gunboat Aegir, a vessel that took part in a number of incidents with British vessels over the years.
In 1975, Scylla was again in 'action' against Iceland during the Third Cod War due to further fishing disputes. She once again patrolled against harassment to British fishing trawlers by Icelandic gunboats and other vessels. In 1976, Scylla performed royal escort duties, and the following year took part in the Queen's Silver Jubilee
celebrations, taking part in the last RN Fleet Review
so far. During that review Scylla was placed in between HMS Berwick
and her sister-ship HMS Euryalus
.
, part of the Cayman Islands
, experienced a powerful hurricane. Between 1980 and 1984, Scylla underwent modernisation, including having Exocet
and Sea Wolf missile
launchers fitted, forcing Scylla to miss the Falklands War
of 1982. She performed numerous patrols and guard ship duties, being used at times as guard ship for the West Indies, a duty still prominent for the present-day RN frigate, as well as patrolling the Persian Gulf
as part of Armilla Patrol
.
as part of the British commitment to its territories in the region. By then she was showing her age, and was becoming difficult for the ship's engineers to maintain. While on patrol there, Scylla suffered steering problems and subsequently collided with the accompanying RFA tanker Gold Rover
. Scylla suffered only superficial damage, though Gold Rover suffered hull damage which was later repaired. Scylla visited a number of ports across South America
during her time there, before heading for the Caribbean
on her way home. She entered Portsmouth
for the last time, and was decommissioned in December 1993. In 1992 HMS Scylla, with the Commanding Officer, Officers and Members of the Ships Company in attendance, was granted the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen
.
was torpedoed by the submarine Spartan
as a target-ship, making Scylla the last remaining Leander left in the UK. She lay in a state of disrepair for ten years until the 27 March 2004, when she was sunk off Whitsand Bay, Cornwall
to form an artificial reef, the first of its kind in the UK
. Her last CO, Captain Mike Booth, and former crew members were present during the sinking. The ship was 'planted' on a 24 metre sandy seabed at 50°19.655′N 4°15.162′W next to the wreck of the liberty ship
James Eagan Layne, which has been a popular dive site for many years.
A lot of work was done to ensure the ship was safe and easy to explore inside, and as expected, she has become a very popular dive site, situated some 40 minutes by boat from Plymouth. The bridge, rear helicopter bay and deck and the side passages are all visible. Additionally there are penetration dives possible.
In August 2006 a team of Marine biologists from the National Marine Aquarium
and simulation experts from the University of Birmingham
conducted a dive with a Videoray ROV
onto the wreck of the Scylla. The dive lasted just over an hour, with the main purpose being to investigate the growth of marine life on the wreck and to collect data for a unique artificial life
and serious game
project, the Virtual Scylla addressing interactive educational tools for teaching climate change and ocean awareness.
Since then there has been a number of deaths amongst amateur divers visiting the wreck. There are fears that the continuing deposition close to the wreck of dredged waste from the Tamar estuary
has led to large quantities of silt
spreading through the ship and frequently mixing with the moving water reducing visibility thereby preventing divers from finding their way out before their air is used up.
Leander class frigate
The Leander class, or Type 12I frigates, comprising twenty-six vessels, was among the most numerous and long-lived classes of frigate in the Royal Navy's modern history. The class was built in three batches between 1959 and 1973...
frigate of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(RN). She was built at Devonport Royal Dockyard
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
and was the last RN frigate to be built at the Dockyard so far. Scylla was launched in August 1968 and commissioned in 1970. It was the start of a long and eventful career that ended with her sinking as an artificial reef
Artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, control erosion, block ship passage, or improve surfing....
in 2004.
1970s
Torpoint Ferry
The Torpoint Ferry is a car and pedestrian chain ferry, connecting the A374 road which crosses the Hamoaze, a stretch of water at the mouth of the River Tamar, between Devonport in Plymouth and Torpoint in Cornwall...
. That same year, Scylla took part in the Second Cod War
Cod War
The Cod Wars, also called the Icelandic Cod Wars , were a series of confrontations in the 1950s and 1970s between the United Kingdom and Iceland regarding fishing rights in the North Atlantic....
during the fishing dispute with Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. She performed patrols against harassment on fishing boats by any Icelandic vessels. During that 'war', Scylla was rammed by the Icelandic gunboat Aegir, a vessel that took part in a number of incidents with British vessels over the years.
In 1975, Scylla was again in 'action' against Iceland during the Third Cod War due to further fishing disputes. She once again patrolled against harassment to British fishing trawlers by Icelandic gunboats and other vessels. In 1976, Scylla performed royal escort duties, and the following year took part in the Queen's Silver Jubilee
Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth realms...
celebrations, taking part in the last RN Fleet Review
Fleet Review, Royal Navy
A fleet review is a traditional gathering of ships from a particular navy to be observed by the reigning monarch or his or her viceroy, a practice allegedly dating back to the 15th century. Such an event is not held at regular intervals and originally only occurred when the fleet was mobilised for...
so far. During that review Scylla was placed in between HMS Berwick
HMS Berwick (F115)
HMS Berwick was a Rothesay or Type 12I class anti-submarine frigate of the British Royal Navy. She was built by Harland & Wolff and launched on 1 June 1961....
and her sister-ship HMS Euryalus
HMS Euryalus (F15)
HMS Euryalus was a of the Royal Navy . Like the rest of the class, Euryalus was named after a figure of mythology. Euryalus was built by Scotts Shipbuilders of Greenock...
.
1980s
In 1980, Scylla performed humanitarian relief when Cayman BracCayman Brac
Cayman Brac is an island that is part of the Cayman Islands. It lies in the Caribbean Sea about 90 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and 5 miles east of Little Cayman. It is about 12 miles long, with an average width of 1 mile...
, part of the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, experienced a powerful hurricane. Between 1980 and 1984, Scylla underwent modernisation, including having Exocet
Exocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
and Sea Wolf missile
Sea Wolf missile
Sea Wolf is a naval guided missile system designed and built by BAC, later to become British Aerospace Dynamics . It is an automated point-defence weapon system designed as a final line of defence against both sea-skimming and high angle anti-ship missiles and aircraft...
launchers fitted, forcing Scylla to miss the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
of 1982. She performed numerous patrols and guard ship duties, being used at times as guard ship for the West Indies, a duty still prominent for the present-day RN frigate, as well as patrolling the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
as part of Armilla Patrol
Armilla patrol
The Armilla patrol is the British Royal Navy's permanent presence in the Persian Gulf.The Royal Navy withdrew its forces from the Persian Gulf in 1971 in line with the UK's general retreat from imperial commitments. However, tensions in the area remained high and Royal Navy ships were still a...
.
1990s
Her final deployment came in 1993 when she deployed to the South AtlanticAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
as part of the British commitment to its territories in the region. By then she was showing her age, and was becoming difficult for the ship's engineers to maintain. While on patrol there, Scylla suffered steering problems and subsequently collided with the accompanying RFA tanker Gold Rover
RFA Gold Rover (A271)
RFA Gold Rover is a small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Gold Rover participated in the 1986 Jamaican flood relief operations...
. Scylla suffered only superficial damage, though Gold Rover suffered hull damage which was later repaired. Scylla visited a number of ports across South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
during her time there, before heading for the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
on her way home. She entered Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
for the last time, and was decommissioned in December 1993. In 1992 HMS Scylla, with the Commanding Officer, Officers and Members of the Ships Company in attendance, was granted the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen
Freedom of the City of Aberdeen
Aberdeen's Freedom ceremony has its origins in the 12th Century. There have been 38 Freedom ceremonies in Aberdeen since the start of the 20th Century...
.
Sinking and use as a dive site
In 1998, her sister-ship SiriusHMS Sirius (F40)
HMS Sirius was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy built by H.M. Dockyard Portsmouth, and was the penultimate RN warship to be built there for a period of forty years, until Vosper Thorneycroft built HMS Clyde...
was torpedoed by the submarine Spartan
HMS Spartan (S105)
HMS Spartan is a nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy's Swiftsure class. HMS Spartan was launched on April 7, 1978 by Lady Lygo, wife of Admiral Sir Raymond Lygo. The boat was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England...
as a target-ship, making Scylla the last remaining Leander left in the UK. She lay in a state of disrepair for ten years until the 27 March 2004, when she was sunk off Whitsand Bay, Cornwall
Whitsand Bay
Whitsand Bay, situated in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom runs from Rame Head in the east to Portwrinkle in the west. It is characterised by sheer, high cliffs, dramatic scenery and long stretches of sandy beaches...
to form an artificial reef, the first of its kind in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Her last CO, Captain Mike Booth, and former crew members were present during the sinking. The ship was 'planted' on a 24 metre sandy seabed at 50°19.655′N 4°15.162′W next to the wreck of the liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
James Eagan Layne, which has been a popular dive site for many years.
A lot of work was done to ensure the ship was safe and easy to explore inside, and as expected, she has become a very popular dive site, situated some 40 minutes by boat from Plymouth. The bridge, rear helicopter bay and deck and the side passages are all visible. Additionally there are penetration dives possible.
In August 2006 a team of Marine biologists from the National Marine Aquarium
National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth
The National Marine Aquarium is a marine aquarium located in the city of Plymouth, England. Built on reclaimed land, it is located in Sutton Harbour, next to the Barbican and fishmarket, and was opened in May 1998. It is the largest aquarium in the United Kingdom.The mission statement of the...
and simulation experts from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
conducted a dive with a Videoray ROV
Remotely operated vehicle
A remotely operated vehicle is a tethered underwater vehicle. They are common in deepwater industries such as offshore hydrocarbon extraction. An ROV may sometimes be called a remotely operated underwater vehicle to distinguish it from remote control vehicles operating on land or in the air. ROVs...
onto the wreck of the Scylla. The dive lasted just over an hour, with the main purpose being to investigate the growth of marine life on the wreck and to collect data for a unique artificial life
Artificial life
Artificial life is a field of study and an associated art form which examine systems related to life, its processes, and its evolution through simulations using computer models, robotics, and biochemistry. The discipline was named by Christopher Langton, an American computer scientist, in 1986...
and serious game
Serious game
A serious game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment. The "serious" adjective is generally prepended to refer to products used by industries like defense, education, scientific exploration, health care, emergency management, city planning, engineering, religion,...
project, the Virtual Scylla addressing interactive educational tools for teaching climate change and ocean awareness.
Since then there has been a number of deaths amongst amateur divers visiting the wreck. There are fears that the continuing deposition close to the wreck of dredged waste from the Tamar estuary
River Tamar
The Tamar is a river in South West England, that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall . It is one of several British rivers whose ancient name is assumed to be derived from a prehistoric river word apparently meaning "dark flowing" and which it shares with the River Thames.The...
has led to large quantities of silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
spreading through the ship and frequently mixing with the moving water reducing visibility thereby preventing divers from finding their way out before their air is used up.