A Royal Navy nuclear submarine of the United Kingdom sunk to dangerous oceanic depths after a gauge malfunctioned, according to reports.
It was a Vanguard-class vessel operating in the Atlantic with around 140 crew as well as Trident ballistic missiles at the time of the incident.
The submarine’s depth gauge malfunctioned when it was preparing to go patrol making the crew to believe it was level when it was in fact still diving, according to The Sun.
The submarine was about to enter the “danger zone” of depth that it can withstand before disaster was averted, the paper reported.
However, engineers are said to have spotted a second gauge and raised the alarm.
The Sun quoted a source as telling “It’s not the engineers’ job to control the sub’s depth but they saw how deep they were and realised something was wrong.”
“Technically the sub was still at a depth where we know it can operate, but if it ever has to go that deep the whole crew is piped to action-stations.
“That hadn’t happened. The sub wasn’t supposed to be there, and it was still diving. And if it had carried on going, it doesn’t really bear thinking about.”
Since 1969, there has always been a submarine with nuclear weapons on patrol as a continuous deterrent for the UK.
The Royal Navy operates four Vanguard-class vessels, taking turns to fulfill this crucial role. However, these older vessels are aging, and plans are in place to replace them with the new Dreadnought class submarines in the 2030s.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “Our submarines continue to meet their commitments, deploying globally on operations, protecting national interests, and keeping us and our allies safe.
“While we do not comment on specific details regarding submarine operations, safety of our personnel is always the highest priority.”
It was a Vanguard-class vessel operating in the Atlantic with around 140 crew as well as Trident ballistic missiles at the time of the incident.
The submarine’s depth gauge malfunctioned when it was preparing to go patrol making the crew to believe it was level when it was in fact still diving, according to The Sun.
The submarine was about to enter the “danger zone” of depth that it can withstand before disaster was averted, the paper reported.
However, engineers are said to have spotted a second gauge and raised the alarm.
The Sun quoted a source as telling “It’s not the engineers’ job to control the sub’s depth but they saw how deep they were and realised something was wrong.”
“Technically the sub was still at a depth where we know it can operate, but if it ever has to go that deep the whole crew is piped to action-stations.
“That hadn’t happened. The sub wasn’t supposed to be there, and it was still diving. And if it had carried on going, it doesn’t really bear thinking about.”
Since 1969, there has always been a submarine with nuclear weapons on patrol as a continuous deterrent for the UK.
The Royal Navy operates four Vanguard-class vessels, taking turns to fulfill this crucial role. However, these older vessels are aging, and plans are in place to replace them with the new Dreadnought class submarines in the 2030s.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “Our submarines continue to meet their commitments, deploying globally on operations, protecting national interests, and keeping us and our allies safe.
“While we do not comment on specific details regarding submarine operations, safety of our personnel is always the highest priority.”
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