Brit sub hits rocks in Red Sea

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http://itn.co.uk/news/7cb7466a4f8d54684 ... 1751e.html

Nuclear sub hits rock in Red Sea
Updated 23.44 Tue May 27 2008
A British nuclear-powered submarine has been damaged after hitting rocks in the Red Sea.

HMS Superb hit an underwater pinnacle 80 miles south of Suez on Monday and damaged its sonar equipment, forcing it to surface.

An MoD spokesman said the submarine's nuclear reactor was "completely unaffected" and there was "no environmental impact" from the collision
None of the crew was hurt and the submarine is watertight, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

The 272ft (83m) Swiftsure class attack submarine had passed through the Suez canal and was in international waters in the northern Red Sea when she grounded with 112 sailors on board.

An MoD spokesman said the submarine's nuclear reactor was "completely unaffected" and there was "no environmental impact" from the collision.

He added]http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/ ... ar-Sub.php[/url]

British military says nuclear-powered sub hits rocks in the Red Sea, vessel is watertight


The Associated PressPublished: May 28, 2008


LONDON: A British nuclear-powered submarine collided with rocks beneath the surface of the Red Sea, damaging its sonar, the military said late Tuesday.
The HMS Superb hit an undersea mountain while diving in the northern Red Sea on Monday, the Ministry of Defense said. There were no casualties and the ship has now safely surfaced, the ministry said in a statement. It added that the vessel remains watertight and that its nuclear reactor was "completely unaffected."

The vessel does not carry nuclear weapons.

The Superb's Web site said the submarine, commissioned in 1976, has completed an "intensive maintenance and upgrade period" and would spend a short period on a training mission before its main deployment in 2008.

However it was not clear whether the training had now finished and a spokesman for the ministry refused to say what the Superb was doing in the area.

The submarine's current mission was being reassessed because the sonar damage made underwater operations impossible, the spokesman said, speaking anonymously in line with military policy. He added that the military was still weighing where the sub should dock.

The Superb is a Swiftsure-class attack submarine. The vessel is 272 feet (83 meters) long and carries a crew of 112.

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There are signs of other

There are signs of other problems with this sub.

http://www.stv.tv/news/Investigation_in ... 3120200527

Investigation into Faslane sub incident
Navy chiefs have launched an investigation, after a sentry was caught drinking and sleeping on a nuclear submarine, which later ran aground.

HMS Superb, based at Faslane, hit a rock in the Red Sea last week, causing damage to sonar equipment.

It has emerged crew members were warned about sleeping on watch months earlier. The Ministry of Defence says the two incidents are not connected.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7432732.stm

Legal action is being taken by the Ministry of Defence after a sentry was caught sleeping on a nuclear submarine based at Faslane on the Clyde.

The incident resulted in a severe verbal reprimand being delivered to the crew, which was filmed on a mobile phone and has been given to the media.

Last week HMS Superb hit a rock in the northern Red Sea, damaging sonar equipment and forcing it to surface.

An MoD spokeswoman said the two incidents were unrelated.



The sentry was caught sleeping in January, about two months before the submarine sailed from Faslane. He was removed from the crew and is now awaiting court-martial.

The resulting reprimand to the duty watch, all junior ratings, was delivered by the vessel's executive officer but was captured secretly by one of the crew on a mobile phone. The video was given to The Sun newspaper.

During the six-minute address, which is peppered with expletives, the officer strongly criticised the sleeping watchman, the removal of safety ropes around storage tanks and the turning off of fans.

He told the men: "The incident last night is entirely f***ing unacceptable.

"You know far better than to allow stuff like that to happen. As submariners, you accept responsibility for yourselves and your shipmates.

"Getting your f***ing napper down while watching a f***ing DVD and swigging lager isn't accepting responsibility for your shipmates.

"It's throwing that responsibility away and saying, to me - I don't give a f*** what happens to my mates on board the boat and I don't give a f*** what happens to the boat.

"That's the worst example I can f***ing think of, but it stirs up some of the other things that have been going on."

Last week, HMS Superb hit an underwater rock in the northern Red Sea, 80 miles south of Suez.

The submarine's nuclear reactor was "completely unaffected", according to the Ministry of Defence. An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the collision.

An MoD spokeswoman said an inquiry had been completed into the the sleeping-on-watch incident and the case was now subject to legal proceedings so no further comment could be made.

"The extent of damage from the grounding is still being investigated and it would be wrong to speculate at this stage about what will happen to the submarine once she is back in the UK."

The MoD spokeswoman said the filming on board the sub was also being looking into, because it was against the rules. Staff were not allowed any unauthorised contact with the media.