Royal Navy recruits no longer need to prove they can swim trends now
85 shares
398
View
comments
Royal Navy recruits are no longer required to prove they can swim, in a move which critics have blasted as a 'desperate' relaxing of standards.
Future applicants will be able to 'self-declare' if they can swim, according to an insider source.
It comes after the Royal Navy were forced to turn to social media in January to recruit for a top commander role amid a serious drop in recruitment figures in the last year.
'In a sign of true desperation to increase recruitment numbers, being able to swim will no longer be an entry requirement to join the Royal Navy,' the anonymous source told Sky News.
'I absolutely get that there is a growing issue around young people being able to swim and therefore, maintaining the swim test could be seen as reducing the 'pool of eligible candidates', but at what point do we say enough is enough?'
Royal Navy recruits are no longer required to prove they can swim (Stock image)
The move has been blasted by sources as a 'desperate' relaxing of standards (Stock image)
A Royal Navy spokesperson, however, has pushed back on the criticism saying all recruits would still be required to pass a swim test
