PRESSE – online TIME, dort die \u00dcberschrift solider:
From Times OnlineFebruary 16, 2009<\/p>\n
British and French nuclear submarines crash in Atlantic
\n(Chris Bacon\/PA)
\nHMS Vanguard, which was involved in an underwater crash
\nDavid Byers and Charles Bremner, Paris
\nA cross-channel investigation has been launched after two submarines carrying nuclear weapons \u2013 from the Royal and French navies \u2013 collided in the Atlantic. <\/p>\n
HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant crashed on February 3 or 4, despite both vessels being equipped with sonar. <\/p>\n
The British submarine, which has a crew of 135, weighs nearly 16,000 tonnes and is 150m long, is one of Britain’s four V-class subs under the Trident programme. <\/p>\n
Armed with 16 ballistic missiles, it is now believed to have been towed last night to Faslane, a nuclear submarine base in Scotland, with dents and scrapes to its hull. <\/p>\n
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\nIts French counterpart was reportedly carrying a similar number of warheads, and also had around 130 crew on board. <\/p>\n
A senior Navy source was quoted in The Sun as saying that the potential consequences of such a collision would be „unthinkable“. <\/p>\n
„It\u2019s very unlikely there would have been a nuclear explosion,“ the source told The Sun. <\/p>\n
„But a radioactive leak was a possibility. Worse, we could have the crew and warheads. That would have been a national disaster.“ <\/p>\n
The MoD refused to immediately confirm the incident had taken place, saying it was against its policy to comment on submarine operations. <\/p>\n
However, a spokesman insisted nuclear security had not been breached. „We can confirm that the UK\u2019s deterrent capability has remained unaffected at all times and there has been no compromise to nuclear safety,“ he said. <\/p>\n
The French navy refused to confirm the accident, but a week ago it reported that Triomphant had returned to port after a collision at sea, „apparently with a container“. <\/p>\n
The 14,335-tonne vessel was ending a 70-day tour of duty when the incident took place at about the beginning of the week of February 1, the navy at Brest, its Breton home port, announced on February 6. <\/p>\n
The collision took place while the vessel was submerged. Its fibreglass sonar dome, which protrudes from the bow of the vessel, was damaged and would take three or four months in dry dock to repair, the French navy said. It gave no other details except that there had been no injuries and no risk of accident at any time, spokesmen said on February 6. <\/p>\n
Today, the Ministry of Defence has so far declined to say anything further about the Triomphant, which is one of four nuclear armed and powered submarines that patrol around the globe ensuring France’s independent ability to mount a nuclear strike. All the nuclear submarines activities are covered by state secrecy. <\/p>\n
In service since 1997, the Triomphant measures 455ft long. It is crewed by 112 men and armed with 16 M-45 missiles and four torpedo tubes. It operates at maximum speeds of 12 knots on the surface and 25 knots submerged. <\/p>\n
France’s Atlantic coast is known as a submarine graveyard because of the number of underwater craft sunk there during the Second World War \u2013 mainly German U-boats. <\/p>\n
\nHave your say<\/p>\n
They didn’t hear one another as each is trying to be quiet as possible. One boat listening and being as quiet as possible, another doing exactly the same; the analogy is being blindfolded, moving completely silently around a football pitch- would you be worried about the chance of collision? No…<\/p>\n
S Gershater, Haslemere, Surrey<\/p>\n
How sad. All hail the mighty European armies. <\/p>\n
How we managed to conquer the globe I’ll never understand.<\/p>\n
Daquan Quartermaine, The Hague, Netherlands<\/p>\n
You would think that allied forces would have good communication and a clear idea of where allied fleets were patrolling. Especially when multi-million pound vessels can hide from each other’s radars. <\/p>\n
Josh Martin, Portsmouth, UK<\/p>\n
Already the SNP and CND have come out with words like nuclear nightmare ! and a disaster ?
\nWhy not mention the fact that nobody was injured and the nuclear weapons had remaind safe after a small collision. Which I agree should never have happend. But is far from a nuclear disaster.<\/p>\n
KeithW, Merseyside, UK<\/p>\n
Take away their toys until they promise not to fight each other.<\/p>\n
R Bingham, Lauzun, France<\/p>\n
Well they collided head on and since sonars detect the noise made by the propeller at the back it is no wonder that these two very quiet beasts didn’t hear each other. But the odds are really slim for that to happen…<\/p>\n
Jan, Tokyo, <\/p>\n
Do you think the captains exchanged insurance details?<\/p>\n
Mac, Dundee, <\/p>\n
Vanguard – The leading position of a military movement
\nTriumphant – Success or Victory <\/p>\n
It’s almost as if this was staged to give comedians an easy on stage ramble. I feel the sarcasm sweeping over us already!<\/p>\n
Gareth, Herts, <\/p>\n
Must have suffered more than dents and scrapes to its hull if it had to be towed to Faslane or anywhere else for that matter.<\/p>\n
Amin Aswet, Gibraltar, <\/p>\n
Perhaps the Navy could ‚borrow‘ some of the millions of surveillance cameras we have all over England, and have a sailor monitoring four cameras, one in each direction.
\nMuch more important than watching us!<\/p>\n
Clive Burghard , Lancing, ENGLAND !<\/p>\n
Atlantic is so large and deep.
\nIt’s not a puddle!
\nHow can a crash happen between two modern vessels, sonar equipped???<\/p>\n
Francesco, Parma, Italy<\/p>\n
The Royal Navy could collect up all the thousands of surveillance cameras from all over England, and bolt four of them on each of it’s seagoing vessels!<\/p>\n
Clive Burghard , Lancing, ENGLAND !<\/p>\n
French drivers…<\/p>\n
Kazuki, Tokyo, Japan<\/p>\n
I suppose it will cost another billion or so to have this replaced.<\/p>\n
Edward, High Wycombe, <\/p>\n
How come the British vessel is measured in metres..but the French vessel measured in feet?..Have France adapted the Imperial measurement ??<\/p>\n
kirk, Rotherham, UK<\/p>\n
Why do I feel disturbed about 2 nuclear subs colliding? I always suspected they navigated by luck anyway.<\/p>\n
Chris Williams, Bridgend, UK<\/p>\n
\nRead all 16 comments
\nHave your say<\/p>\n
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