HMS Nottingham was towed stern first to Newcastle, New South Wales, by Swire Pacific's Pacific Chieftain with assistance from the Hong Kong Salvage and Towage tug Yam O. Repairs were effected at Newcastle, 90 miles north of Sydney, but the vessel was too badly damaged to undertake the 12,000 mile voyage to the UK. Missiles and munitions destabilised by immersion in seawater were removed and destroyed in a controlled explosion at sea.

Dutch heavy lift operators Dockwise won the £7m contract to return the warship to its home port of Portsmouth and mobilised MV Swan from Singapore to Sydney for collection. Some 30,000 tonnes of water were pumped into MV Swan's ballast tanks, lowering the vessel into Sydney Harbour as tugs manoeuvred HMS Nottingham into a specially constructed steel cradle on the Swan's deck. Ballast was then pumped from the Swan's tanks and as both vessels rose, water poured from the twisted steel of the warship's bow.

The vessels are expected in Britain in mid-December.

Surveys have shown that the 20 year old destroyer is repairable but the Royal Navy had announced no decision at the time of writing.

Repair yards in Portsmouth, Devonport and Rosyth are all known to be tendering for the work.

MJ Information No: 17605