HMS Elizabeth’s sprinkler system misfires

Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has been hit by another flood when a sprinkler system misfired.

Huge water jets were triggered by accident in one of the ship’s main hangars.

Sailors watched as water rushed into the aircraft storage area of the £3.1bn boat on Sunday.

Officials said it took just a few minutes to shut the system down. The water was drained and there was no damage, officials confirmed.

It comes just weeks after the ship – the UK’s largest ever warship – leaked 200 litres per hour until a faulty propellor seal was discovered and fixed.

It comes just weeks after the ship – the UK’s largest ever warship – leaked 200 litres per hour until a faulty propellor seal was discovered and fixed (stock photo)

A source said: ‘The alarm for flood went around but it was only minor. No one knows why the sprinkler went off. It certainly is effective – that’s good to know’ (stock photo)

The 65,000 ton carrier was delivered with the defect by ship building partnership the Aircraft Carrier Alliance.

Millions were expected to be spent fixing the problem, with the ship dry docked.

Repairs were made by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance and not the Ministry of Defence.

At the time an insider said: ‘We’re about to uncover the true cost of carrier operations.

‘There is a feeling that the ACA mugged us off by not sorting this before the handover.’

The new leak happened when the ship was in her home port of Portsmouth for a training exercise at the weekend.

A source said: ‘The alarm for flood went around but it was only minor.

‘No one knows why the sprinkler went off. It certainly is effective – that’s good to know.’

The Queen officially unveiled the carrier on December 7, 2017.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: ‘She remains on track with her trials programme.’