Royal Navy airlifts 35 sailors from its ships after finding out they are pregnant at sea over past 14 years
- 35 sailors airlifted off of Royal Navy craft after realising they were pregnant
- Figures from the last 14 years show 18 warships were involved in the operations
- It includes the £1billion HMS Duncan which is on its way to the Persian Gulf to face down Iran
At least 35 servicewomen have had to be airlifted from Royal Navy ships after discovering they were pregnant, it has emerged.
The female sailors were all removed from duty after unknowingly conceiving children while on duty or on shore.
It is believed that 18 warships were involved in the separate airlift operations to return crew members back to land.
At least 35 servicewomen have had to be airlifted from Royal Navy ships after discovering they were pregnant. One of the ships involved was revealed to be the £1billion destroyer HMS Duncan, which is currently on the way to the Persian Gulf to face down threats from Iran (stock photo)
The figures were revealed in a freedom of information request obtained by the Daily Star.
The documents show that the sailors had to be ‘medically evacuated’ from operational duty after a positive pregnancy test since 2005.
One of the ships involved was revealed to be the £1billion destroyer HMS Duncan, which is currently on the way to the Persian Gulf to face down threats from Iran.
Five sailors from the HMS Ocean were also ordered to leave the vessel after becoming pregnant in the last 14 years.
Five sailors from the HMS Ocean were also ordered to leave the vessel after becoming pregnant in the last 14 years. The Royal Navy enforce a strict no-touching rule on board all ships, which applies even for married couples serving on the same vessels (stock photo)
A defence source told the Star: ‘In reality relationships do occur, and providing the intimate side takes place on shore it isn’t usually a problem’ (stock photo)
A defence source told the Star: ‘In reality relationships do occur, and providing the intimate side takes place on shore it isn’t usually a problem.
‘But if a couple are found to be having a physical relationship while at sea they will probably both be disciplined and removed from the ship.’
However, the data only records pregnant sailors who returned to the UK on Ministry of Defence-operated flights.
Any women who returned home by their own means have not been accounted for.
The Royal Navy does enforce a strict no-touching rule on board all ships, which applies even for married couples serving on the same vessels.
An MoD spokesman said: ‘The welfare of our personnel is of the utmost importance.’