Rangatira’s navy days over

Press, 1 October 1983, Page 8

Rangatira’s navy days over

NZPA staff correspondent London The former inter-island ferry Rangatira has left Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, after 15 months service as a floating hotel for British troops. The 9500-tonne vessel is on her way back to Britain and is expected to dock at Devonport for refurbishment. The ship left Devonport in June last year after the British Ministry of Defence chartered her from the Union Steam Ship Company, U.K. Ltd, as a troopcarrying vessel to take Royal Military Engineers and engineering stores to the besieged area. She arrived just after hostilities had finished, the Ministry of Defence reported, but was used to house troops while other accommodation was being built.

There are now three “coastals” — “coast-hotels” — which provide most of the accommodation for up to 5000 British soldiers stiL

based at Port Stanley. An estimated 1300 soldiers stayed in the Rangatira. She now has to be returned to the Union Steam Ship company restored to her former condition. In spite of her noninvolvement in battle, the Rangatira was among the longest-serving vessels in

the Falklands. During this time she was under British management with British crew. The ship is still under military instruction and it is not known to what purpose her owner-company might put her after reconditioning, expected to be completed at the end of this year.

A British task force, headed by H.M.S. Invincible, is now based in the Indian Ocean. The force, which includes three other frigates and two destroyers, is due to arrive in New Zealand waters in late November for naval exercises before leaving for Australia in midDecember.