To be honest I was waiting for Grand Logistics or Think Defence or heck even Information Dissemination to do a story on this sub shooting.
Hasn't happened yet so this is the news so far...
1 dead after shooting aboard UK nuclear sub
LONDON – A British sailor aboard a nuclear-powered submarine apparently shot dead a crew member and seriously wounded another Friday while the vessel was on a goodwill visit to an English port, officials said.
The suspect was overpowered by colleagues and visiting dignitaries aboard HMS Astute and arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police and military officials said the incident was not related to terrorism, but offered few details about what may have prompted a sailor to open fire during a tour of the submarine by local officials, including the mayor of Southampton, in southern England.
Britain's Press Association news agency reported the dead and injured crewmen were officers, and the suspect a sentry armed with an SA80 service rifle. Submariners do not routinely carry loaded firearms aboard ships, but those on sentry duty are armed.
Southampton city council leader Royston Smith said he was in the submarine's control room when a man entered, said something, then retreated to a corridor. Two shots rang out before the man walked back in and opened fire.
"I decided the best form of defense at that point was probably to disarm the chap," Smith told the BBC.
Smith said he and others managed to wrestle the gun away from the suspect and subdue him.
Hampshire Police Chief Superintendent David Thomas said only that a gun went off aboard the submarine, "which resulted in two crew members being injured."
"One of these injuries proved fatal. A man, also a member of the Royal Navy, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder," Thomas said. "Submarine security was not breached as part of this incident and it is not terrorist-related."
He said the wounded sailor's injuries were "significant," but his condition was stable.
The Defense Ministry said it would not release the names of the dead and injured until their families had been informed.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox said he was saddened by the "tragic incident."
Police said they were called to the shooting just after 12 p.m. (1100 GMT, 7:00 a.m. EDT). They said all of the approximately 30 people aboard the submarine at the time would be interviewed as witnesses.
The submarine, which is based in Scotland, was on a five-day visit to Southampton.
The 1 billion pound ($1.6 billion) vessel is one of Britain's fleet of 11 nuclear-powered submarines, armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Its reactor is designed to last for the vessel's 25-year operational life, meaning it will never need to be refueled.
The 328-foot-long (100-meter-long) submarine's short career has been dogged by problems. Originally, due to enter service in 2005, it began active duty in 2010, years behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget.
In October, the Astute hit rocks and ran aground near the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland. It was stuck for several hours until it was towed to safety. The vessel's commander was later removed from his post.
The Defense Ministry said it planned to open a Royal Navy investigation into Friday's shooting.
Ships traditionally had detachments of Marines on board to provide both external AND internal security. I don't know if its ever been done on submarines. After this incident it might be time to consider it.
Whats to say a marine couldn't/wouldn't do the same?
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time i've heard of this sort of thing happening, I see little reason to make a fairly substantial change like that for what is likely to have been one guy going over the edge at the worst possible moment (wandering through the sub to duty with a loaded weapon).
Hello Solomon,
ReplyDeleteI did consider writing about this but there was not a whole lot to say.
Very little information has been released about why this happened.
With the whole thing being sub-judice (see what I did there!) I don't expect to find out much more until the trial.
About the only thing I could have written is that to the best of my knowledge,nothing like this has happened before.
If it has,I never heard of it.
It just looks like the guy flipped for whatever reason.
I have no idea if any submarines have ever routinely carried marines (apart from for special purposes),that is a very interesting question.
There probably isn't much need for them normally and with limited berths on a submarines I can see why they would want a minimum of non submariners aboard.
GrandLogistics.
hey GL.
ReplyDeletethanks for understanding where i was going with this. it wasn't a hit on the UK sub force...i don't remember this ever happening anywhere before (although considering the demographics -- no racial or sexual innuendo's here just talking about the number of people on the boats) but it really was bound to happen.
i get you on the limited berthing issue too but considering that they are so powerful and many times nuclear armed (even the attack boats) and you have a need for enhanced security.
Something like this did happen once before, but in the Russian navy:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_submarine_K-157_Vepr
Also GL is right, subs simply can't bring a unit of Marines with them due to space limitations unless those Marines train to also operate sub equipment or some such. I do know that the crews of US SSBNs get small arms training to defend their missiles in case someone tries to use them.
Sol the UK Royal Navy has never had detachments of Marines on board ships for "internal security" - at least not since the days of sail !
ReplyDeleteI think there has been one accidental shooting incident, where gangway sentries were "messing about" with their Browning pistols. Other than that, we have a very different culture.
In the early 80's I was getting a guided tour of the Nimitz and was very surprised to see armed Marines escorting the pay master to the hanger deck for the crew to be paid "cash in hand". I was even more surprised to be told their where 'ghetto's' onboard where we would "not be safe" (like I said this was the 80's). I am sure things are different these days ???