German warship plays Darth Vader theme on Thames

A warship belonging to the German Navy played the Imperial March as it sailed the River Thames this week. Londoners spotted the F-260 Braunschweig blasting the iconic Star Wars tune as it passed Tower Bridge on Monday, August 19.

Written by John Williams specifically for the trilogies, the theme song is synonymous with movie villain Darth Vader. In a video posted online, sailors can be seen standing on the ship's hull looking out across the capital as the menacing music plays.

The hilarious moment has since gone viral online, with many people praising the crew for making a great joke. One social media user said: "Well played, Germany. Didn't know you had it in you"

In a statement, the German Navy told the BBC that the music had "no deeper message" and "the commander can choose the music freely". They have played tunes from the likes of Beethoven and Rick Astley on previous trips to the capital.