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British navy to auction aircraft carrier over the internet

Other News Materials 3 December 2010 18:04 (UTC +04:00)

The HMS Invincible is 30 years old, 200 metres long, has a displacement of 17,000 tonnes of water and, now, up for online auction, courtesy of the British navy.

Bidding for the retired aircraft carrier is ongoing at www.edisposals.com, a government-run website for selling off unneeded material and land. The highest bidder will get the ship January 5, DPA reported.

For decades war planes took off from its decks, including ones used in the 1982 Falklands War between Britain and Argentina, the BBC reported.

In 2006, the gigantic ship was mothballed and anchored in Portsmouth naval shipyard.

A spokesman for the DSA, the government agency responsible for selling off second-hand state goods, said there was nothing unusual about auctioning off old military hardware over the internet.

Recycling companies are reportedly particularly interested in the ship, the most valuable aspect of which is the 10,000 tonnes of steel used to build it.

The DSA refused to give any details about potential bidders or the expected proceeds from the sale.

Those interested have until December 10 to tour the aircraft carrier, whose status is listed online as "available, in stock." Those hoping someone else might buy it for them can add it to a wish list.

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