Faulty fridge sends warship back to base

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — One of Britain's biggest warships was forced to retreat back to base Wednesday -- by fears about a fridge.

The aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious sailed out Wednesday from Portsmouth on the southern English coast, the home of the fleet, to join multi-national operations in the Indian Ocean.

But "Lusty" had to turn back because a refrigeration unit used to store meat was in danger of breaking down.

"The sensible thing is for her to come in and get that fixed before she goes off again," said Royal Navy spokesman Anton Hanney.

"It wouldn't be prudent for her to go off with the chance of the unit breaking down while she was in warmer climates and then engineers would have to be flown out to her to fix it."

The warship -- scheduled...