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Oxygen device sparked sub blast Oxygen device sparked sub blast
(about 5 hours later)
An explosion on a submarine which killed two British sailors was caused by an emergency oxygen device, the US military has said. An explosion on a nuclear submarine which killed two British sailors was caused by an emergency oxygen device, the US military has said.
The men died on board the Devonport-based nuclear submarine HMS Tireless during a joint British-US operation under the Arctic icecap. The men died on board the Devonport-based submarine HMS Tireless during a joint British-US operation under the Arctic ice off Alaska.
A third sailor was airlifted to a US military hospital in Anchorage. He is expected to make a full recovery.A third sailor was airlifted to a US military hospital in Anchorage. He is expected to make a full recovery.
A Board of Inquiry has begun into the accident on Wednesday morning. The boat had to smash through the ice to reach the surface after the blast.
Forward compartment A Board of Inquiry investigation has begun into the accident, which took place on Wednesday morning.
The Trafalgar-class submarine made an emergency surface after the explosion, breaking through the ice off the Alaskan coast. Safety checks
Tireless is nuclear powered, but it does not carry nuclear-armed missiles Tireless is a nuclear-powered Trafalgar-class submarine. It does not carry nuclear weapons, but is armed with five tubes capable of firing Tomahawk missiles.
It is the third of seven such vessels in the Royal Navy, and usually carries a crew of 130.
US authorities said air-purification equipment, known as a self-contained oxygen generation candle, was the source of the blast.US authorities said air-purification equipment, known as a self-contained oxygen generation candle, was the source of the blast.
The air purification system, which is not the submarine's main oxygen supply, is in the forward escape compartment - a "quiet" area at the front of the vessel, where submariners go to relax when they are not on duty. Oxygen candles are emergency devices that create oxygen through a chemical reaction.
Some devices burn at high temperatures during the reaction.
HMS Tireless was launched in 1985 - the piece of air-purification machinery thought to have failed was fitted as part of an update in 2001.
The air purification system, which does not provide the submarine's main oxygen supply, is in the forward escape compartment - a "quiet" area at the front of the vessel, where submariners go to relax when they are not on duty.
See where the explosion happened on HMS Tireless See where the explosion happened on HMS Tireless
A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said its use on other vessels has been restricted as a precaution until safety checks were carried out. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said its use on other vessels had been restricted as a precaution until safety checks were carried out.
Oxygen candles are fitted to all Trafalgar-class submarines.Oxygen candles are fitted to all Trafalgar-class submarines.
HMS TIRELESS Class - TrafalgarCommissioned - 1984Crew - 130Weapons - Tomahawk missiles, Spearfish torpedoesPropulsion - pressurised water-cooled nuclear reactorSpeed - 32knots (dived)Depth - 400m (operational), 600m (maximum)Length - 85.4m (280ft)HMS TIRELESS Class - TrafalgarCommissioned - 1984Crew - 130Weapons - Tomahawk missiles, Spearfish torpedoesPropulsion - pressurised water-cooled nuclear reactorSpeed - 32knots (dived)Depth - 400m (operational), 600m (maximum)Length - 85.4m (280ft)
The former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, told Radio 4's Today programme there had been no previous problems with the equipment.The former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, told Radio 4's Today programme there had been no previous problems with the equipment.
"These particular oxygen generators, they're a secondary system. There's another, the primary system, that produces oxygen all the time; and there's one forward and one aft," he said.
"A new type was produced and fitted, I think, to Tireless in about 2001 or something like that and the same type is fitted across the fleet.
"These ones, these particular new ones, nothing has happened with them up to date. They replaced a much older system that really stemmed from the second world war which there had been problems with, which is why we out these new ones in."
The nuclear reactor of HMS Tireless was unaffected and the ship itself was not in danger, the MoD said.The nuclear reactor of HMS Tireless was unaffected and the ship itself was not in danger, the MoD said.
The Leader of the Commons Jack Straw told MPs: "Those of us who have been on board submarines know just what a potentially dangerous environment it is, and the safety record of the Royal Navy overall was second to none.
"We send our sympathy to the family and the colleagues of the two sailors who were killed."
The families of both dead sailors have been told.
Vice Admiral Jay Donnelly, commander of the US submarine force, said: "I am deeply saddened at the loss of the crew members from the Tireless.Vice Admiral Jay Donnelly, commander of the US submarine force, said: "I am deeply saddened at the loss of the crew members from the Tireless.
"Submariners are brothers at sea and we all feel the loss as if it were our own. We stand by to continue to assist in any way we can.""Submariners are brothers at sea and we all feel the loss as if it were our own. We stand by to continue to assist in any way we can."
The accident took place on board the Trafalgar-class submarine, which does not carry nuclear missiles, on Wednesday morning. The families of both dead sailors have been told. The Board of Inquiry aims to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy and to see what lessons can be learned.
Tomahawk missiles
Oxygen candles are emergency devices that create oxygen through a chemical reaction. Some devices burn at high temperatures during the reaction.
HMS Tireless was launched in 1985. The piece of air-purification machinery thought to have failed was fitted as part of an update in 2001.
The submarine is the third of seven Trafalgar-class SSN submarines in the Royal Navy, and usually carries of crew of 130.
All Trafalgar-class submarines are armed with five tubes capable of firing Tomahawk missiles.
The MoD will now hold an investigation, known as a Board of Inquiry, to prevent a reoccurrence of the tragedy and to see what lessons can be learned.
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