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A question from Scottish Nationalist Party, Angus Robertson, to Defence Minister, Bob Ainsworth, has uncovered a catalogue of nuclear accidents and incidents involving Ryal Navy nuclear submarines spanning 30 years. The MOD have detailed 14 collisions and 234 on-board fires.
Angus Robertson's question was prompted by the collision in the Atlantic recently of two British and French SSBN's, HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant.
Some of the incidents detailed have been publicised including the sinking of the Motor Fishing Vessel (MFV) Antares by HMS Trenchant on the Clyde (1990) in which four fishermen died.
Also detailed is the collision just north of the Isle of Man in July 1986 between HMS Conqueror and the Yacht Dalraida. Both the Antares and Dalraida incidents are amongst a number of incidents logged by the Celtic League and now held in files lodged in the Manx Museum Library archives.
There are however also details of hitherto unrecorded incidents. HMS Repulse is reported to have `grounded' in the north Channel in July 1996. No other details are given but as HMS Repulse was a large ballistic missile carrying submarine (SSBN) (425 ft length 8500 tonnes) this accident must rank with the damage to the USS Nathanial Greene in 1987 which hitherto is the only admitted SSBN in the Irish sea area. The Nathaniel Greene was so badly damaged by the incident, which occurred about 35 miles south of the Isle of Man, that after being salvaged the vessel was returned to the United States and decommissioned. No details of any nuclear pollution from the accident have ever been published.
Most worrying about the new MOD revelations is the propensity for onboard fires on these nuclear submarines which operate extensively in the waters of the Irish sea and off western Scotland. Little specific information is given and worryingly the MOD say that detail on fires on board nuclear submarines can only be provided for the period from 1987 as records prior to that date `are not held centrally'.
Detail of Angus Robertson's question and the MOD reply can be found at:
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
23/04/09
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