An investigation has been launched after the island’s flagship pilot boat St David suffered severe damage after it crashed into a reef.

The smash happened as the boat was underway to the Northeast Breaker Beacon as part of a training exercise.

The crew of four were uninjured but the boat’s propellers and driveshafts were severely damaged by the impact and the boat lost power.

The incident happened just before 7am on Thursday.

A transport ministry spokeswoman confirmed the incident last night.

She said: “The vessel lost power on both engines and was unable to regain propulsion after making contact with the reef and was towed into Dockyard.”

The spokeswoman added: “The incident is now under investigation.”

The 61ft twin-engined St David replaced a smaller vessel of the same name in 2012.

It has been used in medical evacuations and for offshore search and rescue missions.

One of its first search and rescue tasks was to assist in the recovery of the bodies of two fishermen lost off St David’s in January 2012.

The boat was constructed by the Gladding-Hearn Shipyard in Somerset, Massachusetts.