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| QE2 liner arrives at home port | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The QE2 has arrived at its home port of Southampton after it ran aground on a sandbank as it sailed in. | |
| Five tugs were sent to assist the 70,000 tonne liner after it hit a sandbank at about 0530 GMT at the entrance to Southampton Water. | |
| Solent Coastguard said the ship was pulled off after about 30 minutes and docked without further incident. | Solent Coastguard said the ship was pulled off after about 30 minutes and docked without further incident. |
| The ship has 1,700 passengers and 1,000 crew but owners Cunard said most were asleep and nobody was injured. | The ship has 1,700 passengers and 1,000 crew but owners Cunard said most were asleep and nobody was injured. |
| Cunard spokesman Eric Flounders said: "She touched a sandbank called Brambles but with the tide rising she was able to get away. | Cunard spokesman Eric Flounders said: "She touched a sandbank called Brambles but with the tide rising she was able to get away. |
| "We are not aware at this stage of any damage to the vessel and everything is proceeding today as planned. | |
| "We don't know exactly what happened for the vessel to get stuck." | |
| Floating hotel | Floating hotel |
| It is thought winds blowing from the south west at force seven may have contributed to the ship grounding at Brambles as it made its way into port. | It is thought winds blowing from the south west at force seven may have contributed to the ship grounding at Brambles as it made its way into port. |
| Thousands of people are expected to line Southampton Water to wave the ship off as part of the the celebrations before it leaves for Dubai. | Thousands of people are expected to line Southampton Water to wave the ship off as part of the the celebrations before it leaves for Dubai. |
| The Duke of Edinburgh will lead the farewells, which include fireworks and a fly-past. | The Duke of Edinburgh will lead the farewells, which include fireworks and a fly-past. |
| The 40-year-old liner is being taken out of service next month and turned into a floating hotel. | The 40-year-old liner is being taken out of service next month and turned into a floating hotel. |
| It will be Prince Philip's seventh visit to the vessel, which was launched by the Queen on Clydebank, near Glasgow, in September 1967. | It will be Prince Philip's seventh visit to the vessel, which was launched by the Queen on Clydebank, near Glasgow, in September 1967. |
| The QE2 is expected to leave Southampton Docks at 1915 GMT. | The QE2 is expected to leave Southampton Docks at 1915 GMT. |
| At 1100 GMT, one million poppies will be dropped from a Tiger Moth aircraft over the ship to mark the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. | At 1100 GMT, one million poppies will be dropped from a Tiger Moth aircraft over the ship to mark the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. |
| Following a two-minute silence, Prince Philip will meet crew members who travelled on the QE2 when it was used as a troop ship in the Falklands War. | Following a two-minute silence, Prince Philip will meet crew members who travelled on the QE2 when it was used as a troop ship in the Falklands War. |
| The liner has sailed nearly six million nautical miles, been round the world 25 times, crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers. | The liner has sailed nearly six million nautical miles, been round the world 25 times, crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers. |