Watch: German navy warship plays Darth Vader theme on Thames

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The German navy has made its presence known in London by blaring out the Darth Vader theme as one of its warships advanced up the River Thames.

Londoners looked on as the German warship was towed slowly past Butler’s Wharf on the South Bank near Tower Bridge.

The Braunschweig F260 ship played the Imperial March track from the Star Wars saga as it floated by.

In footage of the arrival, sailors can be seen on deck dressed in light blue shirts, dark trousers and navy blue life jackets.

A German navy spokesman told The Telegraph: “The commander can choose the music freely. The choice of music has no deeper message.”

The Braunschweig F260 is the lead ship of the German navy’s latest Class K130 corvette fleet. Tower Bridge opened to allow the warship through and go alongside the HMS Belfast on Friday.

The ship, which was commissioned in 2008, has since left London and was moored in Plymouth on Wednesday morning.

A spokesman for the German Embassy in London said: “The commander of the corvette FGS Braunschweig is a big Star Wars fan and an admirer of the legendary musical scores of John Williams.

“He chooses a different Williams tune whenever his ship is visiting a foreign harbour.”