Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Royal Navy nuclear submarine equipped with Trident missiles 'suffered huge malfunction that sent the vessel into an endless dive - with engineers saving the 140 crew members moments before they faced being crushed by underwater pressure'
Daily Mail ^ | 11-19-23 | EIRIAN JANE PROSSER and Rory Tingle

Posted on 11/20/2023 3:04:49 AM PST by dynachrome

A Royal Navy nuclear submarine equipped with Trident missiles suffered a huge malfunction that sent it into an endless dive before the vessel was righted moments before the crew faced being crushed by underwater pressure, it was claimed today.

The Vanguard class sub had been carrying 140 crew when its depth gauge suddenly failed while on a mission in the Atlantic.

It caused a frantic scrabble with engineers managing to stop the submarine and its nuclear reactor from plunging further just moments before disaster struck.

The deep sea vessel, carrying Trident 2 missiles, was on patrol when the depth indicators stopped working, with its crew falsely believing it was level when in fact it was diving deeper into the ocean.

It was only when engineers at the back of the sub found a second gauge indicating they were headed towards the 'danger zone' that they sounded the alarm.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: nuclear; sabotage; submarine; uk; unitedkingdom
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-113 next last
To: dynachrome

Reminds me of the USS Thresher and USS Scorpion disasters.


41 posted on 11/20/2023 5:50:41 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dynachrome

The article makes it appear that there is a unique depth at which the submarine implodes. There is no such depth, it is not a unique number. As they get deeper, the probability of implosion increases.


42 posted on 11/20/2023 5:55:42 AM PST by Tymesup
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gibsonguy

Maybe the main depth gauge read 300 while the diving plane was just slightly downward as they kept getting deeper and deeper. Then engineering called up front and asked why they were approaching maximum depth.


43 posted on 11/20/2023 5:58:31 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Democrats' version of MAGA: Making America the Gulag Archipelago. Now with "Formal Deprogramming")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: FarCenter

I learned years ago to never buy anything made by British engineers. Triumph, Jaguar, British Leyland, Landrover are all examples of over engineered crap. IF this is what they do with their automobiles, imagine what they do with their war ships, etc.


44 posted on 11/20/2023 6:01:32 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: woodbutcher1963

What about Dyson?
Some of the best engineered products on the planet.


45 posted on 11/20/2023 6:06:03 AM PST by ethel rascel (Lurk Mostly)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: dynachrome

Yawn….been there, done that.

There was no “massive malfunction”
There was no “endless dive”

Using the limited true information from the article and inserting my own persona experience:’

There was a failure of the primary depth in indicator in the Control room. The backup systems worked correctly. The crew training worked correctly.

The Engineering section Lin Maneuvering Room saw their depth indicator was showing a depth at which the ship should be been rigged for deep dive (additional crew stationed in each compartment, all watertight doors closed and dogged, annunciation deep dive evolution was happening). The Engineering watch called this to the attention of the Control Room and corrective action was taken. The boat was never outside the operating envelope and proceeded to rise stabilize the depth and commence repairs. Everything worked as it should using backup systems and good training.

Only possible take-away in my thinking is why there wasn’t a dual redundant depth indicator in Control, one digital and one analog, as it was when I was operating.


46 posted on 11/20/2023 6:12:20 AM PST by Cold War Veteran - Submarines
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: woodbutcher1963

My aunt had a Triumph TR6 that was a good looking car back in the early 80s or very late 70s.

I remember it being on ramps or the hood up most of the times I saw the car.

At most I can remember are riding in it twice.


47 posted on 11/20/2023 6:13:06 AM PST by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: OKSooner

it was a joke on the obviously false story. HAHAHA


48 posted on 11/20/2023 6:13:07 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: dynachrome

Ice Station Zebra (1968)


49 posted on 11/20/2023 6:19:59 AM PST by butlerweave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: ethel rascel

Well Dyson always struck me as over engineered. The Brits are pikers compared to the Germans when it comes to that though. Those guys could produce a screwdriver that would need a user manual


51 posted on 11/20/2023 6:23:50 AM PST by gibsonguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: dynachrome

How does a bad depth gauge directly harm the sub? If I am at a depth and I lost track of what the depth is, due to the gauge not responding, I simply surface.

Their radars and other instruments were working fine. Is their radar pinging closer to the bottom? That is a depth gage proxy that still worked.

I don’t see a real problem, here. They know if they’ve gone “up” or “down” by how buoyant they were.

If the depth gauge suddenly said they were at the surface, or at the bottom of the ocean, far below crush depth, they just need to set the sub to surface, period. They would know something was wrong.


52 posted on 11/20/2023 6:26:55 AM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #53 Removed by Moderator

To: PIF

Thanks for the clarification...


54 posted on 11/20/2023 6:29:59 AM PST by OKSooner (Be especially sure to take extra wool socks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Openurmind

Racing background?????

I see what you did there-———


55 posted on 11/20/2023 6:32:40 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Comment #56 Removed by Moderator

To: ProtectOurFreedom
Can you really get disoriented and not know you are descending?

Happens in airplanes all the time.

57 posted on 11/20/2023 6:42:54 AM PST by itsahoot (Many Republicans are secretly Democrats, no Democrats are secretly Republicans. Dan Bongino.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: wally_bert

Triumph Spitfire and other small British convertible cars are the reason why the Mazda Miata was so popular. The big difference was that the Miata was a reliable car that started and would not leave you stranded 30 miles from home.


58 posted on 11/20/2023 6:43:02 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: wally_bert

I had a TR 7

The Triumphs were SCCA class winners


59 posted on 11/20/2023 6:44:53 AM PST by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Joe Biden is a kleptocrat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: ethel rascel

Dyson are well engineered. We actually own one. We also own a battery operated Shark vacuum.
However, I would bet that the Dyson vacuum at home in my closet was actually BUILT in China.
I was referring to the British designed and built products. The biggest issues with most were constant electrical problems.


60 posted on 11/20/2023 6:46:14 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-113 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson