The crew of the HMS Illustrious, which returned to Grand Harbour on Monday after four years, were awed by the "incredible" welcome they were given as they were entering harbour, Captain Bob Cooling said during a press conference on board the ship yesterday.

"There must have been about 10,000 people welcoming the ship to harbour.

"We had special permission to fire a 21-gun salute and the AFM responded with another 21-gun salute," he said.

The tradition of firing a 21-gun salute on entering a foreign port started in the 17th century when warships used to empty their broadside of canon to indicate they were arriving in peace.

Unfortunately, this tradition was becoming quite a rare event, Captain Cooling said. He said that Malta was considered the Mediterranean homeport of the Illustrious. The links between Malta and the Illustrious were the closest between a country and a UK warship, he said.

Captain Cooling yesterday laid a wreath at the War Memorial in Senglea. The (fourth) Illustrious had then been berthed there during World War II. The ship, which will be hosting Queen Elizabeth's reception tomorrow, will on Friday be open for public viewing between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The last time the Illustrious was in Malta was in 2001 but since World War II it has been here 20 to 30 times, Captain Cooling said.

He described the ship as very versatile, capable of changing roles according to circumstances.

Captain Cooling said the ship, which is the fifth Illustrious, weighs 25,000 tonnes and is 208 metres long and 16 decks tall. It has a total crew of 1,050. The ship has its own hospital, dentist, bakery, barber and sweet shop.