The commander of Canada's navy aggressively defended the country's problem-plagued submarines on Saturday as he pledged to find out exactly what happened on HMCS Chicoutimi last week. Vice-Admiral Bruce MacLean told a news conference in Halifax that every precaution was taken before the fire-stricken submarine's departure on its ill-fated maiden voyage to Nova Scotia from Faslane, Scotland, last week.
"We reduce risk at sea to the greatest extent possible in an operational environment that is inherently risky," he said.
"We would never send submarines and their crew to sea if they're not prepared, checked and trusted."
But Vice-Admiral MacLean said the navy would "absolutely not" order Canada's other two operational submarines to shore as a precaution pending an inquiry into why there were two fires on the Chicoutimi last Tuesday that damaged electrical cables and left nine crewmen suffering from smoke inhalation.
One of the sailors, Lieut. Chris Saunders, 32, of Halifax, died while being transported to hospital in Ireland.
It "would be the absolute wrong decision" and not even possible to bring the submarines back to port after an incident on another vessel because they often operate thousands of kilometres from home, he said.
Vice-Admiral MacLean, who spoke shortly before flying to Scotland to meet the Chicoutimi when it reaches shore this evening, said sending a ship to escort the submarine across the ocean wouldn't have helped the situation either. None of the other three submarines had escorts when they sailed to Canada, he said.
"We in Canada signed off the document which assured the safety of that submarine," he said. "We were in every respect comfortable with the situation, and that submarine sailed.
"A submarine by its very nature is designed to operate independently thousands of miles from its home base. It's just the way we do our business."
He said the four diesel-powered submarines Canada acquired from Britain are essential to the navy's operations.
"I need submarines to effectively meet our many requirements in some of the most demanding maritime waters of the world," he said. "The challenges which have occurred since acquisition have never altered our complete naval support and confidence for this program.
"We would never accept just any submarine."
Vice-Admiral MacLean said the navy is committed to an official inquiry after the Chicoutimi is safe. The Liberal government has also bowed to mounting political pressure and agreed to a parliamentary investigation into the fatal accident. Any inquiry would have to balance the needs of submariners, the Canadian Armed Forces and citizens, Vice-Admiral MacLean said.
"In the navy we guard this privilege of conducting inquiries into navy business very, very jealously," he said. "The importance of getting it right is crucial. "We don't know yet fully what happened."
But MP Bill Casey (Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley) said trying to get answers from the military is often a frustrating experience.
"The doubt about what happened here could be eliminated if they answered questions," he said. "This information can't stay within the ranks of the military."
Specifically, Mr. Casey wants to know what sea trials were done before the Chicoutimi left port and whether the navy responded to an urgent safety warning about an oxygen system issued a year ago.
"They won't tell us," he said.
Canada leased the submarines - HMCS Chicoutimi, HMCS Corner Brook, HMCS Victoria and HMCS Windsor - from Britain in 1998 after the vessels had been in storage for four years.
Reactivating them has taken at least three years longer than expected, due in part to a shortage in resources, according to internal reports. Problems have included cracks in some valves, plugged turbine pumps, leaks, rust and engine malfunctions.
HMCS Chicoutimi was about 275 kilometres from Faslane on Saturday, but an American submarine support vessel, the Carolyn Chouest, had taken over the tow in the morning to speed up the rescue.
"The Carolyn Chouest is larger, faster and safer," said Commodore Tyrone Pile, commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic.
Weather was co-operating in the North Atlantic, and 21 crew members from the Chicoutimi were on RFA Argus, a British helicopter that had joined the convoy.
Six of them, who had suffered smoke inhalation, were examined by a physician.
"All were given a clean bill of health," Commodore Pile said.
HMCS Windsor arrived back in Halifax from training operations Saturday afternoon so that six to 10 of its technicians and engineers could head to Scotland. A C-130 Hercules transport plane with other submariners on board left Nova Scotia for Britain on Saturday morning.
The Chicoutimi's crew will rest, have physical and mental medical examinations and meet with members of a board of inquiry before returning to Canada later in the week.
The two submariners who were airlifted to hospital in Ireland with Lieut. Saunders were said to be doing better, Commodore Pile said.
Master Seaman Archibald MacMaster, 41, of Port Hawkesbury was in serious but stable condition; Petty Officer Denis Lafleur, also 41, of Quebec, was stable. Petty Officer Lafleur's wife flew to Ireland on Friday to be with him. He's expected to be released from hospital within a couple of days.
An autopsy on the body of Lieut. Saunders was being delayed until Canadian pathologists and a military medical officer arrived in Ireland on Saturday.
His remains were to arrive in Halifax today, and a ceremony was planned, with Prime Minister Paul Martin expected to attend. A full military funeral is scheduled for Wednesday.
