There was a crew of three Royal Navy personnel on board the landing craft and the Cremyll Ferry had two passengers on board, plus crew when the incident happened yesterday morning.

The ferry is now out of action having been holed by the vessel near Mayflower Marina.

A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “We can confirm there was a collision this morning between a landing craft from HMS Raleigh and the Cremyll Ferry – a small pedestrian passenger ferry, which operates from Cremyll in Cornwall across the River Tamar to Stonehouse in Plymouth.

“There are no reported injuries. The landing craft is returning to Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth.

“The Cremyll Ferry has been holed and is alongside.

The incident happened in the vicinity of Mayflower Marina at Stonehouse.

“The Queen’s Harbour Master is liaising with the Maritime Coastguard Agency and the causes of the incident are being investigated.

“The landing craft was on the way to Plymouth Sound to take part in a training exercise with two small Royal Naval inflatable boats.

“The exercise was to allow the drivers of rigid inflatable boats to practise coming alongside a larger vessel – ie the landing craft.”

The ferry has been taken out of service and moved to nearby Mashfords boat yard for damage assessment.

The company is bringing in a replacement vessel.