HMS Hecla (A133)

HMS "Hecla" was the lead ship of the , an oceangoing survey ship type in the Royal Navy. She was ordered in the mid-1960s, along with her sister ships and . A fourth ship, , was completed in the early 1970s. The ship served for thirty years in this role, and various others, before finally being replaced by in 1997. "Hecla" was sold to private interests, being renamed "Bligh" after Vice-Admiral William Bligh. After this, the vessel was used in a hydrographic survey of Irish waters, and was based in Waterford, Ireland.
Design and construction.
The "Hecla" class were designed as combined hydrographic and oceanographic survey ships, built to merchant ship standards and of similar design to . She was laid down at Yarrow Shipbuilders' Blythswood, Glasgow shipyard on 6 May 1964, was launched on 21 December 1964 and was commissioned on 9 September 1965. She had the pennant number A133.
"Hecla" was long, with a beam of and a draught of . Displacement was light and full load, with a gross tonnage of 2,898. She had diesel-electric propulsion, with three Paxman Ventura 12-cylinder diesel engines rated at powering two electric motors, rated at a total of and driving one propeller shaft, giving a speed of . She had a range of at a speed of and at . The ship had a complement of 127 officers and other ranks. She was fitted with a hangar and helideck aft to allow operation of a single Westland Wasp helicopter, while two surveying launches were carried.
Service.
In 1982, "Hecla" was used as an ambulance ship for the duration of the Falklands War. In this role, she ferried wounded from both sides to the main hospital ship, .