HMS Ashanti ( F117 ) HMS " Ashanti " ( F117 ) was a Tribal - class frigate of the Royal Navy . She was named after the Ashanti people , an ethnic group located in Ghana . The frigate was sunk as a target in 1988 . " Ashanti " was built by Yarrow , of Scotstoun , at a cost of £5 , 315 , 000 and was the first commissioned Royal Navy warship to be equipped with combined steam and gas ( COSAG ) engines . She was launched on 9 March 1959 and commissioned on 23 November 1961 . See larger image of " Ashanti " Operational Service . 1962 : Malicious damaged reported aboard " Ashanti " " Ashanti " deployed to the Caribbean for trials in 1962 . There , in early October , the ship suffered a failure in her COSAG engines , forcing the frigate ' s return to Britain . Subsequent tests discovered that the COSAG ' s machinery was defective , which caused blade fracturing in the gas turbine . Hull strengthening also found to be required " Ashanti " was also used to trial the Westland Wasp helicopter , prior to its introduction to active service in 1964 . The frigate conducted operations in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea for 10 months in 1963 . In May 1965 , " Ashanti " suffered minor damage in a collision with the Russian cargo shop " Farab " in the port of Mombassa , Kenya . In 1966 / 67 " Ashanti " was deployed on Beira Patrol . During that time she also spent a month in Aden having a gas turbine refit whilst some of the crew were seconded to the army as Britain withdrew from Aden . Given the Six Day war , the Suez being blocked , indecisiveness about whether to clear mines form the Gulf of Aqaba she headed home via The Cape of Good Hope , stopping off at Simon ' s Town . In 1969 " Ashanti " embarked RM Commando detachment at Bermuda during a Black Power Conference . In 1970 , " Ashanti " deployed on Beira Patrol , which was designed to prevent oil reaching landlocked Rhodesia via the Portuguese colony of Mozambique . The following year " Ashanti " was present at the Royal Navy ' s withdrawal from Malta . In 1974 , while returning to Britain from the Caribbean , " Ashanti " suffered two fatalities when a large wave struck the frigate . The ship was just four hours out of Bermuda on her way back to the UK , We were hit by a " freak wave " and were only a few degrees away from capsizing . The youngest member of the ships crew was swept overboard and although our helicopter was readied for a recovery , the sea swell was too great for the helicopter crew and winch man ' s safety . He was lost at sea . The other fatality was the oldest ships member on his last trip before retiring . He was injured severely by a dan buoy that broke loose in the event and died a short while later in the med bay . The ship returned to Bermuda to disembark the body , and for repairs to the upper deck structure . Premature reports by Bermudian radio stations sent invalid signals to UK and it was reported on national TV news channels that H . M . S . ASHANTI had been sunk and lost at sea which was upsetting for many crew family members in the UK . Three sailors died in 1977 from carbon monoxide poisoning after a fire broke out in a boiler room . " Ashanti " was returned to service in 1978 following a repair and refit , and finally placed in reserve and became a Harbour Training Ship . She was sunk as a target in 1988 by the submarines " Sceptre " and " Spartan " .