29 April 2004
Nuclear submarines should be checked for safety, group says
By Laura Elston and Kim Pilling
The Independent

The nuclear-powered boat was to begin operational tests after repairs at the Faslane base in Scotland, 15 months after she hit rocks off Skye, causing £5m damage. The crew who left included three of her four safety experts.

Greenpeace said all of Britain's Trafalgar and Swiftsure class "hunter-killer" submarines should be brought back to port and assessed. A spokeswoman said: "If an accident happened it would not only put the lives of the crew at risk, but if radioactive material escapes from the submarine it could threaten human health and contaminate whole swaths of marine life." She said safety checks were needed to prevent the possibility of a catastrophic accident such the explosion in August 2000 which killed 118 sailors on board the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk. She said there should be an inquiry into the condition of the submarines and called for the Government to review its policy of using nuclear technology at sea.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We have said we would not send to sea any submarine unless we were totally sure it was safe. Safety is of paramount importance." The MoD said system defects had been identified but all had been checked and passed fit before the boat was allowed to sail from Devonport. Suggestions of a "mutiny" were denied and the MoD said no individual refused to sail with the submarine.

Temporary replacements joined the other 109 in the crew last week after the commanding officer, Mark Williams, agreed to release the 11 from duty. Trafalgar is on its "shakedown" cruise off Scotland.

A court martial hearing last month reprimanded Commander Robert Fancy and Commander Ian McGhie, both 39, for negligence in causing the sub to ground on a training mission.

The Navy has 12 submarines of the Trafalgar and Swiftsure class, and four Trident ballistic missile submarines.

Most nuclear submarines should be withdrawn for urgent safety checks to prevent a Kursk-style tragedy, environmental campaigners said yesterday. Eleven sailors were allowed to leave HMS Trafalgar last week because they had fears over its safety.

The nuclear-powered boat was to begin operational tests after repairs at the Faslane base in Scotland, 15 months after she hit rocks off Skye, causing  £5m damage. The crew who left included three of her four safety experts.

Greenpeace said all of Britain's Trafalgar and Swiftsure class "hunter-killer" submarines should be brought back to port and assessed. A spokeswoman said: "If an accident happened it would not only put the lives of the crew at risk, but if radioactive material escapes from the submarine it could threaten human health and contaminate whole swaths of marine life." She said safety checks were needed to prevent the possibility of a catastrophic accident such the explosion in August 2000 which killed 118 sailors on board the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk. She said there should be an inquiry into the condition of the submarines and called for the Government to review its policy of using nuclear technology at sea.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We have said we would not send to sea any submarine unless we were totally sure it was safe. Safety is of paramount importance." The MoD said system defects had been identified but all had been checked and passed fit before the boat was allowed to sail from Devonport. Suggestions of a "mutiny" were denied and the MoD said no individual refused to sail with the submarine.

Temporary replacements joined the other 109 in the crew last week after the commanding officer, Mark Williams, agreed to release the 11 from duty. Trafalgar is on its "shakedown" cruise off Scotland.

A court martial hearing last month reprimanded Commander Robert Fancy and Commander Ian McGhie, both 39, for negligence in causing the sub to ground on a training mission.

The Navy has 12 submarines of the Trafalgar and Swiftsure class, and four Trident ballistic missile submarines.