A drone has been seized after it breached a temporary flight restriction zone set up for the HMP Prince of Wales warship’s visit to Liverpool, police said.
Merseyside Police and Ministry of Defence (MoD) officers spotted the drone in restricted air space on Wednesday, the force said.
The pilot was located and the device was seized, it said, adding that the incident will be investigated.
The Liverpool-affiliated HMS Prince of Wales and its sister ship are the largest warships built for the Royal Navy, according to the Government website, and it is back in the city for seven days until Monday.
It can carry up to 40 aircraft and is being prepared for deployment to the Indo-Pacific next year, the Government said.
Officers said the flight restriction zone is part of the policing operation while the aircraft carrier is docked at Liverpool Cruise Terminal.
The force said: “The restriction will remain in place until 10am on Monday 9 December, meaning it will be an offence for any unmanned aircraft to fly below 2,000ft (609 metres) above sea level in the designated area, without the explicit permission of Merseyside Police.
“We would like to remind all UAS (unmanned aerial systems) operators of their responsibility to follow the regulations set by the Civil Aviation authority (CAA). Failure to do so could lead to do your drone being seized, or prosecution.”
LATEST | A temporary flight restriction zone, specifically affecting drones, has been imposed above #Liverpool city centre while HMS Prince of Wales is docked at Liverpool Cruise Terminal.
— MerPol Liverpool City Centre (@MerPolCityCen) December 3, 2024
It will be in place until 10am next Mon (9 Dec). Read more here:https://t.co/zs5ZDWMDyR pic.twitter.com/wlJPKsALy2
Defence procurement minister Maria Eagle visited the warship on Wednesday, and said: “It was fantastic to see HMS Prince of Wales berthed on the River Mersey, showcasing the impressive defence capabilities, sailors and service personnel keeping Britain safe and secure at sea across the globe”.
Last week news broke that British troops had been drafted in to help the United States Air Force (USAF) find out who was responsible for flying drones over three bases in England.
A small number of drones were spotted flying over RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk between November 20 and 24.
Officials said the number of sightings “fluctuated and varied between the bases” but the drones had not been identified as hostile.
HMS Prince of Wales has an 800-strong crew and the Government said it provides “vital logistical and humanitarian support” and “continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the UK’s maritime capabilities and in supporting global security in a more volatile world”.
Members of the public will be able to board the ship this weekend.
The MoD has been approached for comment.
