A Royal navy nuclear sub sinking in the direction of its crush depth was saved moments from catastrophe.
A depth gauge failed on the decades-old Vanguard class vessel, carrying 140 crew and Trident 2 doomsday missiles within the Atlantic.
Such a disaster would even have triggered a nightmare salvage mission to recuperate the top-secret vessel and its nuclear reactor earlier than the Russians acquired to the scene, The Solar studies.
The sub was getting ready to go on patrol when dials indicating its depth stopped working, leaving commanders to assume it was stage when it was nonetheless diving.
It was getting into the “hazard zone” when engineers in the back of the 490ft Vanguard-class vessel noticed a second gauge and raised the alarm.
A supply instructed The Solar: “It’s not the engineers’ job to regulate the sub’s depth however they noticed how deep they had been and realised one thing was improper.
“Technically the sub was nonetheless at a depth the place we all know it will possibly function, but when it ever has to go that deep the entire crew is piped to action-stations.
“That hadn’t occurred. The sub wasn’t speculated to be there, and it was nonetheless diving. And if it had carried on going, it doesn’t actually bear excited about.”
The Solar is just not naming the sub or the depths concerned for safety causes.
A naval supply mentioned the near-miss had confirmed that security programs labored.
They added: “If one system fails you’ll be able to fall again on the opposite.”
Prime Brass launched an pressing security probe however insiders insisted the drama didn’t interrupt the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
A minimum of one Royal navy submarine with nuclear missiles has been on patrol repeatedly since 1969 to hit again within the occasion of a doomsday assault.
Britain has 4 Vanguard-class submarines however presently solely two are operational.
One is having a significant refit and the opposite is present process sea trials after repairs that ran £300 million ($574 million) over finances.
The navy mentioned: “We don’t touch upon operations. Our submarines proceed to be deployed globally, defending nationwide pursuits.”
This text initially appeared on The Solar and was reproduced with permission
