William Atkins
Monday, 16 February 2009 20:25
Science -
Energy
Page 2 of 3
BBC News reported that Caroline Wyatt, British Defence correspondent, stated the incident was
“incredibly embarrassing” for the U.K. Ministry of Defence.
She added,
"This is clearly a one-in-a-million chance when you think about how big the Atlantic is.” [BBC News]
The
Le Triomphant, classified as S 616, is a strategic nuclear-powered submarine of the French Navy within the Triomphant-class submarines. It was commissioned in March 1997, and later it was updated in 2002.
Its homeport is Île Longue (which is French for “Long Island”), which is in Brittany on the Crozon peninsula, northwest of France. The secretive base is used for French ballistic missile submarines.
It is capable of holding up to sixteen M45 SLBM (in French MSBS - Mer-Sol-Ballistique-Stratégique (Sea-ground-Strategic ballistic missile) missiles with TN 75 (thermonuclear) warheads.
After the collision, the
Le Triomphant remained submerged and under her own power while traveling to Brest under her own power, but with a great amount of damage to her sonar dome. A French frigate accompanied it.
Page three reports on injuries to personnel and possible nuclear ontamination from the incident, along with comments from an anti-nuclear organization.
