A huge navy ship was spotted off the coast of North Wales in the Irish Sea on Wednesday.
The RFA Argus British Navy auxiliary vessel is said to be sitting in waters off the Gwynedd coast to the south of Criccieth and west of Harlech.
The ship is a “Primary Casualty Receiving Ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary”, according to the Royal Navy website.
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Measuring 175 metres in length the vessel boasts a 100-bed medical complex on board, acting as a floating medical facility during times of crisis or war.
It weighs 28,081 tonnes and has a top speed of 18+ knots.
There are currently no details on why the ship, captained by Kevin Rimell RFA, is in the area.
However, according to the marinetraffic.com website the Argus is on a journey from Plymouth to an unknown destination.
The ship has gathered the attention of hundreds of people especially on the Criccieth Life Facebook page this morning, where photos of it off the coast appeared.
It was last in the news in December 2020 when it returned to the UK after helping stop more than £400m (€475) of drugs reaching Britain’s streets on operations in the Caribbean.
According to a Navy press release at the time: "The support ship departed eight months ago to support the region’s British Overseas Territories during hurricane season and the Covid-19 pandemic, but also to carry out counter-narcotics operations.
"Alongside patrol ship HMS Medway – the Royal Navy’s permanent forward presence in the Caribbean – Argus seized 5,373kg of cocaine and 28kg of amphetamines worth more than £400m, in eight separate drugs busts in the past three months."
Commenting on the Caribbean operation, First Sea Lord, Admiral Tony Radakin, said: “I am extremely proud of what RFA Argus has achieved during her deployment. Protecting our overseas territories is a key part of the Royal Navy’s role in defending the UK’s interests worldwide. From countering drug smugglers to delivering humanitarian aid, Argus has proven just how versatile the Royal Navy is, and how valuable our continued forward presence remains.”
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