PRINCE TAKES PART IN NEW DRUGS RAID IN CARIBBEAN

PRINCE William has been involved in a second drugs raid in the
Caribbean since his naval training in the Westcountry.

The Prince, who prepared for sea at Dartmouth's Britannia Royal Naval
College, was on board a Lynx helicopter as it chased a speedboat
suspected of shipping cocaine from South America.

Gunners on the helicopter shot at the vessel's engine, which caught
fire, and three men jumped into the sea. They were recovered and taken
aboard HMS Iron Duke, on which Prince William is spending time as part
of a two-month secondment in preparation for his future role as head
of the armed forces.

No drugs were found on the boat, but traces were found on two of the
three crew members.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Prince William was aboard the
Lynx, which was about to go out on a training flight, and it was
redirected to intercept the suspect vessel.

"Prince William remained on board until the helicopter returned to
Iron Duke. He witnessed the firing but wasn't involved in it. He then
returned to ship to resume his normal duties as officer of the watch."
It is the second drugs raid for the Prince since leaving the
Westcountry.

The MOD reported that a crew of six, including the Prince, swooped on
a speedboat carrying UKP40 million of cocaine earlier this month. Prince
William played a role in planning the operation and carrying out
surveillance.

After the latest operation, Commander Mark Newland, the commanding
officer of HMS Iron Duke, said: "This first 30-day patrol of our
Caribbean deployment has been an enormous success. "My ship's company
are elated at again disrupting the activities of the suspected
drug-runners."

William, 26, an officer in the Household Cavalry regiment, is spending
five weeks on the frigate as part of his Royal Navy placement.