LONDON, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Royal Navy's aircraft carrier Illustrious said a final farewell Wednesday as it sailed out of Portsmouth for the last time on a journey to a breaker's yard in Turkey.
Onlookers gave the aircraft carrier, affectionately known as Lusty, three cheers as she left the harbor, ending a 32-year career that saw her journey around 1.7 million km around the world.
Former sailors who served on the warship were among the crowd gathered at Portsmouth's old harbor to give the ship one more three cheers as she was towed away into the English Channel.
The Ministry of Defense (MOD) had hoped Illustrious could be preserved as a visitor attraction, but with no realistic projects emerging, the mighty warship was sold for over 2.5 million U.S.dollars.
HMS Illustrious took part in a range of operations until 2014. It is one of the Invincible Class being replaced by the new Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers, the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy.
A spokesman for the MOD said: "Following a two-year open competition seeking to retain part or all of the ship for heritage purposes in the UK, no viable bids were received. Illustrious will be now recycled, as were her sister ships Invincible and Ark Royal, in Turkey by the company Leyal Ship Recycling."
Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said: "Over three decades Illustrious set the highest standards for service that the Royal Navy will continue with HMS Queen Elizabeth when she arrives into Portsmouth next year."
"Backed by a rising defence budget, our new aircraft carriers will lead a growing Royal Navy as Britain steps up to defend our country and our interests," Fallon added.
