The returning crew had been operating the ship for nearly eight months.

BBC: Minehunter HMS Pembroke returns to Clyde naval base

In the current harsh operating environment, a small number of cabin crew, mechanics or catering staff can bring a carrier to its knees within weeks especially if they cannot easily be replaced.

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Over the next six months the crew will perform 137 investigations on the US operating segment of the station, and 44 on the Russian segment, according to a statement from the US space agency, Nasa.

BBC: Soyuz spacecraft docks at ISS after just six hours