Britain’s £3billion flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth ‘catches fire’ while docked in Scotland

BRITAIN’s £3billion flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has “caught fire” while docked in Scotland.

The Royal Navy ship was moored at Glenmallan on the shores of Loch Long when the fire broke out earlier today.

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It is understood that no-one was injured and no ordnance was involved.

The Royal Navy said: “A minor, isolated fire on HMS Queen Elizabeth was quickly brought under control and extinguished.”

Scottish Fire and Rescue is now working with the Navy to probe the cause of the fire.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is en-route to Rosyth in Scotland for repairs on its starboard propeller shaft.

The aircraft carrier arrived at Glenmallan yesterday to off-load ammunition before heading to Rosyth for the repairs.

It comes after the flagship aircraft carrier was pulled off a Nato drill due to the faulty propeller shaft.

The 920ft aircraft carrier —­ the most expensive ship built for the Royal Navy ­ — has been dogged by dodgy plumbing and a leaky propeller since first going to sea in 2017.

Last month, The Sun revealed a report that claimed Royal Navy recruitment was so bad that defence bosses were decommissioning two warships.

HMS Westminster, recently refurbished at huge taxpayer expense, and HMS Argyll will be taken out of action this year, with crews sent to work on a yet-to-arrive new fleet of frigates.

Although the Government wants to cut the size of the Armed Forces, recruitment is still below target.

In 2023, intake at the Navy and Marines fell 22.1 per cent on the year before, while the RAF’s fell by 17 per cent and the Army’s by 15 per cent.