NAVY NEWS, JULY 2008 3
● HMS Vanguard leaves Gareloch on the Clyde for training. The V-boat is one of four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines which form Britain’s nuclear deterrent Picture: LA(Phot) Iggy Roberts, (FRPU Clyde)
CContaminatioontamin nn blamed blamed
ffor Tor Tiireless erel xxplosionplosion
OIL contamination of a chemical oxygen blast had depressed flood alarm buttons in the
generator is thought to have caused an
affected compartment.
explosion which led to the death of two
It took 45 minutes to find a polynya – a hole
Torbay
submariners on board HMS Tireless last
in the ice – into which Tireless could surface
year.
and vent the smoke.
It also allowed the boat to land the
Poor storage, stowage and handling
leads
dead and injured sailors– and there
over a lengthy period of time was
was praise for the staff of a nearby
deemed the most likely reason for
American ice camp, particularly the
the contamination – but the President
helicopter pilot, whose operating
the way
of the Board of Inquiry praised the
procedures precluded night-
professionalism of the submarine’s
flying but who flew a casualty
crew in dealing with the incident
evacuation mission.
itself.
HMS TORBAY has become
Board President Capt
The nuclear boat was on
the first Royal Navy submarine
Jake Moores noted that the
an under-ice exercise with an
cleared to navigate digitally using
submarine had not been
American submarine in the
the WECDIS system.
endangered by the explosion,
Arctic in March last year when
Some 50 ships have been fitted
which did not affect the
a routine operation to maintain
with the equipment (Warship
nuclear system.
oxygen levels on board went
Electronic Chart Display and
The actions of the
wrong.
Information System), but Torbay
command team was lauded;
is the pioneer for the Submarine
When operating in very cold despite flood alarms, the
Flotilla following tests conducted
waters, the boat’s own electrolysing absence of rising pressure and
by the Maritime Commissioning
system is less efficient, and to the stability of the boat suggested to
Trials and Assessment organisation
counter this SCOGs (Self Contained Oxygen them that there was no flooding, so they kept a
and Flag Officer Sea Training
Generators), introduced in 2003, are normally watertight bulkhead open which made damage
(Submarines).
used. control and firefighting more effective.
Felix Klauser, of Lockheed
Each SCOG is a steel canister containing a
The crew and medical team also reacted in a
Martin, said: “The submarine
chemical block sealed against contamination. A
professional manner.
variant of WECDIS has been
charge is placed in the cap and fired to trigger a
Capt Moores said: “The submarine crew
designed to ensure accurate dived reaction, producing oxygen.
handled the incident very, very well indeed.
navigation, improved safety and Warnings are printed on the canisters, and
“The damage control and firefighting effort
enhanced situational awareness operating procedures warn of the dangers of
was superb. This is a testament to the training
and polar navigation for operations contamination, particularly by hydrocarbons.
and professionalism of all submariners.”
under the Arctic Circle.” Exhaustive forensic tests carried out by NASA
The Board could not prove how cracking and
WECDIS works with new and
contamination of the faulty SCOG occurred,
– who became involved as they embrace similar
existing equipment on board, and
but it is thought most likely to have been in
technology in their space programme – revealed
can provide automatic alarms and
the storage, handling and stowage of the device
that the most likely cause of the explosion
detailed information about areas
– hundreds are taken on board submarines
was liquid oil contamination, with cracking
of particular interest.
and removed again after such exercises, and
of the sodium chlorate block thought to be
the flawed SCOG could have been stored and
Superb puts in
contributory factor.
destored repeatedly.
Two men – LOM Paul McCann and OM It is also understood that Tireless’ SCOGs
at Souda Bay
Anthony Huntrod – died from injuries received were delivered to the jetty and left uncovered
when the SCOG they activated in Tireless’ two weeks before she sailed.
forward escape compartment burst apart,
The cracking of the block allowed the oil to
ATTACK submarine HMS
slamming a door in the deck shut and buckling
seep throughout the chemical, and allowed a
Superb, which was damaged when
it.
much larger contact surface when the reaction
she struck an underwater pinnacle
A third man was injured, and the Board
went wrong; a further factor was that the
in the Red Sea in May, has been
undergoing repairs in Crete.
praised his actions in using his bare hands to
SCOG is contained in a restrictive metal
The S-boat had an initial
douse the flames caused by the SCOG and
container, and the rising pressure caused an
even fiercer reaction.
inspection in Aqaba, Jordan, to
trying to help his stricken shipmates. He has
The board was confident that the use of
ensure her safe passage through
been presented with a bravery award.
SCOGs, if properly manufactured, stored,
the Suez Canal.
The crew could not open the hatch for 44
handled and deployed, was not a risk.
As Navy News went to press she
minutes, though gaps around the hatch allowed
But among the 35 recommendations, all
had been at the NATO facility in smoke to pass through the boat. accepted by Commander-in-Chief Fleet, are
Souda Bay for further assessment Tireless was under the ice north of Alaska a suggestion to alter the design in the light of
and essential repairs. at the time of the incident, on March 20 local the accident, and to improve the logistics chain
The collision, which is under time, and could not surface immediately, but handling it, including better quality control,
investigation, damaged ballast the Board found that emergency procedures education and training.
tanks and her sonar system, but were carried out to a high standard, despite Other agencies are investigating aspects of the
had no effect on the nuclear confusion – many people reported that the supply chain for SCOGs; Boards of Inquiry make
propulsion system.
● HMS Tireless operating in the Arctic Circle during ICEX 07 explosion had happened close to them, the
recommendations following a consideration of
There were no casualties. Picture: PO(Phot) Terry Seward smoke set off fire alarms, and the force of the evidence, but do not apportion blame.
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