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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Oxygen device sparked sub blast | Oxygen device sparked sub blast |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An explosion on a nuclear 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 submarine HMS Tireless during a joint British-US operation under the Arctic ice off Alaska. | 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. |
| The boat had to smash through the ice to reach the surface after the blast. | The boat had to smash through the ice to reach the surface after the blast. |
| A Board of Inquiry investigation has begun into the accident, which took place on Wednesday morning. | A Board of Inquiry investigation has begun into the accident, which took place on Wednesday morning. |
| Safety checks | Safety checks |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Oxygen candles are emergency devices that create oxygen through a chemical reaction. | Oxygen candles are emergency devices that create oxygen through a chemical reaction. |
| Some devices burn at high temperatures during the 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. | 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. | 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 had 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) class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6478915.stm">The UK's underwater hunters | |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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." | "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. | 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 Board of Inquiry aims to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy and to see what lessons can be learned. | The Board of Inquiry aims to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy and to see what lessons can be learned. |
| Return to top | Return to top |