Name Inverness Commissioned 24 January 1991 Fate Sold to Estonia Launched 27 February 1990 | Operator Royal Navy Decommissioned 2005 Name Sakala Builder VT Group | |
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EML Sakala (M314) is a Sandown-class minehunter of the Estonian Navy and belongs to the Estonian Navy Mineships Division. The commanding officer of the vessel is (Lt. Sr. Grade) Vanemleitnant Ott Laanemets.
History
The EML Sakala (M314) was built in the United Kingdom, in a Vosper Thornycroft shipyard. The vessel was launched on 27 February 1990 and she entered service with the Royal Navy a year later on 24 January 1991. The Royal Navy decommissioned the Inverness and her sister ships HMS Bridport, and HMS Sandown on 9 October 2006, and sold the vessels to the Estonian Navy. The coat of arms was presented on a ceremony on 24 January 2008 in Scotland. The ship's name comes from an ancient Estonian county Sakala which is today known as Viljandimaa yet is often called Sakalamaa.
The minehunter Sakala is the fourth vessel of the Estonian Navy Mineships Division and second of three modernized Sandown class minehunters purchased from the Royal Navy. A black shield which represents the rich soils of Sakala and the ethnic Estonian men's clothing. The rose points towards the capital of the Sakalamaa Viljandi. The swords are representing Sakalas important role in Estonian ancient freedom fight and the fighting spirit as silver stands for loyalty. The ship's motto in Latin is: "In nomine libertatis”; which means in English: "In the name of freedom". The coat of arms was designed by Priit Herodes.