2 killed on American sub *breaking news*

[Letum]

Just heard on BBC Radio4 that 2 have been killed and 2 injured after they where swept from the deck of a American Nuclear Sub in the Plymouth Sound (UK).
2 where rescued from the water by the escort ships.

I don't have links or details as the news has just broken here AFAIK

[badhat17]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6217471.stm

Sad news.

[Letum]

heh, I made the post 60 seconds before the BBC web site posted it.

You heard it here first folks!

[lesrae]

Very sad, my sympathy to the families.

[Linton]

My sympathy to the families of the bereaved.The weather forecast for Devonport and surrounding waters has been bad all day.Gossip on RR is that with a strong wind from the SW and using the channel into the wind conditions can be very dangerous.
From the Met office site:Lyme Regis to Land's End including the Isles of ScillyStrong wind warning 1601 Fri 29 Dec0600 Sat 30 DecSouthwesterly winds will reach force 6 to gale force 8, occasionally severe gale force 9.
Inshore waters forecast 1700 Fri 29 Dec1700 Sat 30 Dec24 hour forecast: WindSouthwest 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.WeatherRain or squally showers.VisibilityModerate or good, occasionally poor.Sea StateVery rough.

[ASWnut101]

were they actually on the deck or in the c. tower? It would be pretty hard to be swept away from the tower by waves....:hmm:

[Oberon]

Outside casing, that'd be on the deck rather than the conning tower I'd say. Poor guys...weather can get pretty bad on the Sound.
My condolences to the boats crew and the families.

[ASWnut101]

yes, very sad......


but why would they be on deck in such poor weather? something about it dosent seem right....

[Ramius]

Nothing unusual about it.
They had just left Guz and where on their way out to sea. The casing party would still be stowing gear away (berthing ropes etc.). Also in the report it says that they where attached "via ropes" or safety harnesses (I presume Yank boats have a similar functional "ice rail" as we do).
Its been bad here in Guz today, but hasn't seemed that bad.

Its always been said the most dangerous time for a sub and its crew is - on the surface, on its way in or out of port :-?


Condolences to the families.

[sonar732]

The safety harness that we used had a 'c' clamp that clipped on a railing "inside" the deck. Our tether lines had 10 feet of 'extra' stowage which would come out if we fell overboard. Granted, if the seas were that bad, I could see them dying from being banged up against the boat.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Sad news. I remember reading a WWII book about U Boats where a new watch would go to replace the previous watch and there would br nobody there, everybody swept away in the seas.