Navy Flagship Reenters Service After Repairs
The minesweeper Admiral Cowan has completed maintenance work and will be returned to duty today.
The 450-ton ship has been participating on NATO mine-clearing operations the past four years and needed maintenance, ETV reported today.
Besides hunting mines and mine warfare, Admiral Cowan also serves as a recruiting platform for the navy. The ship has 26 sailors and four conscripts when at sea, and many conscripts sign up for the navy full-time after their mandatory service is completed.
The ship was built in 1989 in the United Kingdom, and served in the Royal Navy until 2005. Estonia purchased the boat in 2006 and was renamed after British Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan, who provided Estonians naval support during the War of Independence.