London: A British Royal Navy warship with second-in-line to the throne Prince William on board helped the US Coast Guard in a major drugs bust, the defence ministry in London said today.

The Type-23 frigate HMS Iron Duke intercepted an ocean- going speedboat at 12:12 pm (2142 IST) Saturday, hundreds of miles (kilometres) northwest of Barbados.

It had been spotted by the ship's helicopter and raised suspicions because it was so far off land and appeared to be heading for Europe or west Africa.

US Coast Guard boarded the 50-foot (15-metre) vessel and found 45 bales of cocaine weighing 900 kilogrammes (1,980 pounds) and with an estimated street value of at least 40 million pound (79.6 million dollars, 50.2 million euros).

Five men on board the speedboat were detained. The boat, which was in poor condition, later sank, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement

William, 26,is serving on board HMS Iron Duke as part of a two-month attachment to the Royal Navy. The ship patrols the North Atlantic Ocean and is onhand to provide help in the event of natural disasters like hurricanes.

It also works on counter-narcotics operations with US colleagues to restrict the flow of cocaine out of central America.

His presence was not mentioned in the communique, but the ship's Commander Mark Newland was quoted by Britain's Press Association news agency as saying Sub-Lieutenant Wales, as he is know, was involved as the operation unfurled.

Source : PTI