"Missing" US Sub was false alarm.

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • u-5075
    Junior Member
    • Feb 2003
    • 1134

    #1

    "Missing" US Sub was false alarm.

    http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/lo ... local-wire

    THE ADVOCATE
    Navy temporarily loses communication with sub off Fla.

    Associated Press

    March 14, 2007

    NORFOLK, Va. -- The Navy temporarily lost communication with the USS San Juan off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla., before communications were re-established early Wednesday, officials said.

    There were no problems with the Los Angeles class submarine, based in Groton, Conn., the Naval Submarine Force said in a statement. The communication lag was not explained, and the Navy continued to investigate the incident on Wednesday, spokesman Phil McGuinn said.

    "Fortunately, the submarine established communications in the early morning hours ... and indicated that there were no problems; hence, units were able to stand down from the search and rescue that was already well under way," the Navy said in a release.

    Units of the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group saw a red flare in the vicinity of the missing submarine Tuesday night, McGuinn said.

    Ships and aircraft immediately started searching the area where the submarine was operating and also contacted the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office in Norfolk to assist with the efforts. Family members also were notified.

    Navy officials started a phone tree to notify family members around 4 a.m. that a search and rescue effort had begun, said Lt. Mark Jones, a Navy spokesman in Groton. Family members were called again at about 6 a.m. once communications were re-established, Jones said.

    "We want to keep them informed as we are informed," Jones said. "Everyone was very appreciative of keeping them informed."

    There were about 140 sailors on board, Jones said.

    Although it was a false alarm, the Navy said it was concerned with the safety of those aboard the sub. Procedures indicated that its escape and rescue program is able to quickly respond, the Navy said.
  • Guest

    #2
    Glad to hear all is

    Glad to hear all is well. See photo of my San Juan model, SSN 751, on my site, opening page, and also on Page 2 of Pictures page.
    Store photos and docs online. Access them from any PC, Mac or phone. Create and work together on Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents.

    Comment

    • u-5075
      Junior Member
      • Feb 2003
      • 1134

      #3
      SCOTS WERE TO HELP

      Scots sent

      SCOTS WERE TO HELP

      Scots sent to rescue US Navy nuclear submarine
      IAN BRUCE, Defence Correspondent March 15 2007

      The Scottish deep-sea rescue team which saved seven Russian submariners trapped 650ft down in the Pacific last year were "scrambled" for a top-secret mission off the Florida coast two days ago.

      The 12-strong group from Rumic UK, whose operating base is in Renfrew, was put on immediate standby after the USS San Juan, a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine, failed to make a pre-arranged communications' rendezvous on Tuesday night.

      A red distress flare presumed to have been released from a buoy launched by the submarine from the depths had also been reported near the boat's last known patrol position in 1300ft of water.

      The lack of contact and the flare report triggered an immediate "Sublook" emergency, under which the US Navy tries to re-establish communications by ultra-low frequency radio signals and begins intensive sonar and satellite searches. When these failed, the US announced a "Subsunk" alert and asked for help from the UK.

      Rumic's "Thunderbirds" rescue team was assembled and a C-17 Globemaster flew into Prestwick to carry them and their submersible to the US.

      The emergency mission was called off when the San Juan re-established its radio link with surface vessels 10 hours later. The stand-down came minutes before White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley was due to break the news of a potential nuclear disaster to President George Bush.

      Neither the Royal Navy nor Rumic was prepared to comment yesterday but a US Navy spokesman told The Herald: "The San Juan was operating with USS Enterprise carrier strike group on pre-deployment training for the Persian Gulf.

      "The crew was unaware a communications' rendezvous had been missed and this is now under investigation.

      "Although the submarine was operating with the surface warship group, no-one up top was aware of exactly where the boat was lurking. That's the way it should be. Submarines are designed to be hard to detect."

      It is understood the Royal Navy's submersible rescue team from Whale Island, Ports-mouth was also on standby.

      The Renfrew "Thunderbirds" volunteers used a Scorpio robot submersible last August to cut cables which had trapped a Russian Navy mini-sub and its seven-man crew 650ft down off the Kamchatka Peninsula.

      The operation allowed the Russian boat to surface with only six hours of air remaining after 72 hours on the seabed.

      The Scots were awarded medals by Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, in a special ceremony last October.

      Comment

      Working...
      X