Sailor Falls Off New Warship

A sailor is recovering after falling overboard from Britain's newest warship.

The Royal Navy said the male junior rating on HMS Diamond "went overboard'' when the vessel was alongside at Portsmouth Naval Base, but some reports say the man jumped from the £1 billion type-45 destroyer.

He was rescued from the freezing water by a Ministry of Defence launch on patrol at the base.

A Royal Navy spokesman said that the rating, in his early 20s, was on duty at the time of the incident, in the early hours of Monday and no one else was involved.

"We are aware of an incident involving a junior rate from HMS Diamond that took place at 0230 on Monday Dec 20,'' he said.

"The individual is receiving appropriate medical treatment.

"It is too early to say whether there will be an investigation.''

HMS Diamond has a crew of 180 and is considered one of the most advanced warships in the world.

It was delivered to the Navy in September and is undergoing sea trials.

It is formally due into service with the Royal Navy next July.

Six of the warships will be commissioned into service in a £6 billion project. They will replace the fleet's ageing Type-42 destroyers.